EUGENE, Ore. – Northwest Christian welcomed The College of Idaho into James Park on Friday to begin the final home series of the season and the teams needed extra innings in both games to pull off the split.
Alyssa Gayle combined for five hits on the day and Maya Jenkins added four, including a big one in game two. Jessica Garner added to her single-season stolen bases record with four more, bringing her season count to 23.
For the Yotes, Kylie Smith led the team with three hits, but it was Colette Robert that stole the show, throwing 12 1/3 innings on the day, striking out ten batters.
Game One: The College of Idaho 4, Northwest Christian 3 (8 Innings)
An eighth-inning RBI groundout by Robert proved to be the game winner, lifting herself to the victory as C of I claimed their first one-run victory of the season.
It was NCU who struck first as Ereanna Higbee took the first pitch she saw high and deep into the left-field trees for a two-run homer, her second of the season.
The Yotes got back one in the third inning on a bomb from Marissa Maddox, a liner that dipped over the fence in left. The College of Idaho took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning as Jordan Mattox hit an RBI double and later scored on a sacrifice fly.
Extra innings were necessitated after Gayle hit an RBI single to score Garner. Gayle (4-9) took the loss for the Beacons despite striking out four batters in a complete-game effort.
Roberts struck out nine batters in the eight-inning complete game, allowing three earned runs on ten hits.
Game Two: Northwest Christian 5, The College of Idaho 4 (10 Innings)
Freshman Anna Cardwell (pictured) had the biggest at-bat of her young career, hitting a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the tenth inning, to score Maya Jenkins and lift the Beacons to their second extra-inning victory of the season.
The Beacons slowly and steadily built another early lead, scoring single runs in each of the first three innings to go up 3-2, overcoming a first inning two-run blast from Smith.
The Yotes took back the lead in the fourth inning when Kristin Paulazzo connected on a two-RBI double, scoring Delaney Atkins and Marissa Mattox. The score remained 4-3 until the bottom of the seventh inning.
Gayle opened the seventh with a single and Kyla Wagner came in to pinch run. An Avery Daniels single, followed by a walk to Jegtvig loaded the bases and moved Wagner to third base, where she promptly came home on a sacrifice fly by Higbee.
NCU had runners at second and third with one out in the eighth but couldn’t capitalize and the teams traded fruitless ninth-innings as well.
The Yotes went three-up, three-down in the top of the tenth and the bottom frame went just as quickly. Jenkins opened the inning with a first-pitch double to the fence in right-center, her fifth extra-base-hit on the season. Madi Novelli followed with a sacrifice bunt. Then came Cardwell, in just her 24th career at-bat, sending the 1-0 pitch to right-center field. The Yote fielder had to catch the ball on the run and awkwardly threw off-target, attempted to stop Jenkins from plating the winner.
Gayle and Jenkins each hit 3-for-5 in the game while Daniels and Higbee each had two hits as NCU collected 15 in the contest, their highest output since February 17.
Freshman Emma Jegtvig (3-13) tied an NCU record, becoming the fourth pitcher to throw 10 innings in a game. She allowed four earned runs on ten hits while striking out six in her 15th complete-game of the season.
Loryn Fonger started for the College of Idaho, allowing two earned runs on seven hits in the first 2 1/3 innings before taking a come-backer off her arm that force her early exit. Sadee Sorensen threw three innings without allowing a run and Robert (13-8) closed out the final 4 1/3.
The Beacons will close out their 2018 home schedule on Saturday with another double-header against the Yotes. The first game counts towards the conference schedule while the second does not. Between games there will be a brief Senior Day celebration, honoring the seniors from both teams.