Concordia Sweeps CCC Doubleheader from Lady Yotes
CALDWELL, Idaho – Despite a five hit afternoon from Katie Rowe, the College of Idaho could not overcome the offensive firepower of Concordia University, as the No. 16 ranked Cavaliers swept a Cascade Conference doubleheader at Symms Field.
CU (24-10, 5-3 CCC) held on for a 6-4 win in Game 1, then used a three-run seventh to break open a tight Game 2, winning 8-4. The Cavaliers hit four home runs in the two wins – two each by Kate Santos and Mariah Jimenez.
C of I (11-17, 3-5) opened the scoring in Game 1 in the first inning, as Jodie Hoagland tripled and scored on a passed ball, with a two-out RBI single from Tess Willis plating Destiny Turner for a 2-0 lead.
The Cavs used the long ball to take the lead in the fourth, as Santos led off with a line-drive home run. After a Destinee Chang single, Jimenez blasted a long homer to dead centerfield to give CU a 3-2 lead. The Yotes narrowly missed tying the game in the bottom of the inning, but Sam Owirka threw out Madison Cushing trying to score from second on a two-out single by Hoagland.
The Cavaliers got three huge insurance runs in the seventh, as a Chang RBI single was followed by a two-run homer by Jimenez to make it 6-2. CU needed the runs, as a Turner sacrifice fly and a Rowe RBI double cut the lead in half. With two on in scoring position and two out, a Rickey Kamimae screamer was snared by the diving Taylor Bussey to end the game.
Lucy Baldovino worked around 12 hits to pick up her 11th win of the season. Chang was 2-for-2 and Jimenez 2-for-3 with four RBI for CU. Hoagland was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, with Turner, Rowe, and Chelsea Szymanski each logging two hits for C of I.
A wild start opened the nightcap, as a Santos RBI double in the first gave CU the lead, with the catcher scoring on a C of I error. The Yotes countered with three runs in the bottom of the frame – as Turner lifted a sacrifice fly; Rowe singled home a run; and a run via a Cavs error during a run-down.
The Coyote lead would last until the third, as Bussey led off with a walk and Santos followed with a two-run bomb to left-center and a 4-3 lead. The visitors would extend the lead to 5-3 in the fifth on a two-out Owirka RBI single.
C of I got a run back in the bottom of the inning on a Rowe RBI single, but stranded runners at second and third – as Concordia starter Maddie Boucher retired the final eight batters in a row to end the game.
Boucher picked up her 12th win, walking just one batter and striking out three. Santos was 3-for-5 with four RBI; Kelsie Merritt was 3-for-5 with an RBI; and Taylor Copher added three hits for the Cavs. Rowe was 3-for-3 and Destiny Campbell added two hits for the Yotes.
C of I returns to action on Tuesday, playing a pair of games in Nampa – meeting Willamette at 2 p.m. and rival Northwest Nazarene at 4 p.m.