CALDWELL, Idaho - Nickayla Skinner tossed a two-hit shutout in Game 1, but a late Brooke Davis home run broke a scoreless tie, as The College of Idaho and Northwest Christian split a Cascade Conference doubleheader at Symms Field.
The Yotes (20-6, 3-3 CCC) won 8-0 in five innings in the opener, with the Beacons taking a 1-0 decision in the late game.
Skinner dominated the Beacons (4-18, 2-2) in the early game, allowing just two hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. NCU loaded the bases in the first with two outs, but Davis fanned to end the threat - with the Beacons getting just one base runner the rest of the way.
The C of I got all the runs they needed in the opening inning, taking advantage of two NCU errors to plate three runs. Alexis Macias had an RBI single to get the Yotes on the board, with two runs scoring on a throwing error with the bases loaded. An inning later, Skinner delivered a run with a fielders' choice grounder, while two runs were plated on a Kristen Haugen single - the second when Macias scored in a run-down. The hosts added a run in the third when Kaci Baldwin scored on an error, then won the game due to the eight-run mercy rule in the fifth on a Molly Mills RBI double.
Nikki Shumway, Macias, and Haugen each had two hits in the win. Kalyssa Koontz struck out five, allowing just three earned runs, in the loss for the Beacons.
Game 2 was a pitchers duel, as starters Jenna Royce and Kayla Park matched zeros. NCU had runners at the corners in the first but could not score, while the Yotes had runners in scoring position in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, but could not get the clutch hit. Davis came through in the seventh, launching a 3-2 pitch by Skinner, who came in relief in the sixth, deep over the left-centerfield wall.
Royce was outstanding, allowing just five hits and struck out five, while Park allowed three hits in five shutout innings in a no-decision. No player for either team had more than one hit.
The Yotes close out the weekend with a doubleheader vs. Eastern Oregon, tomorrow at 11 a.m.