TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Western Nevada College pitchers struggled with College of Southern Idaho’s powerful softball lineup on Saturday.
CSI hit two homers in the first game and four more in the second game to complete a Scenic West Athletic Conference series sweep of the Wildcats, 10-5 and 13-2.
In the opener, WNC reached double digits in hits for the second straight game, but CSI still slugged out the victory.
Like it did in the previous two games, WNC scored first, but the Golden Eagles tallied 10 of the next 11 runs to take command.
Kacie Freudenberger’s single plated Melanie Mecham to put WNC on top 1-0 in the first inning.
But CSI matched the Wildcats with a run of its own in the first and pulled away with a six-run third inning. Erin Emanuel’s grand slam was the big blow in the third.
Noa Talia led off the fourth with a line-drive home run to left, cutting CSI’s lead to 7-2. But Cassidy
Basinger’s two-run homer highlighted a three-run CSI fourth that ended with the Golden Eagles ahead 10-2.
WNC rallied behind the relief pitching of Kristina George and some aggressive baserunning. During a three-run fifth, Mecham and Bailey Henderson stole home, and Henderson also provided a single to score Makaylee Jaussi.
George came on in relief of Kaitlyn Jimmy and tossed two hitless innings while fanning two Golden Eagles.
Henderson, Mecham and Talia each delivered two hits.
The Wildcats left two runners on base in the sixth and seventh innings.
CSI (13-6 overall, 4-0 in SWAC) continued its home run barrage in the second game as Emanuel and Taylor Tahbo connected for solo homers off freshman pitcher McKell Marble in the second inning.
The Golden Eagles added three more extra-base hits before being retired in the second. Skylar Cook’s RBI double gave CSI a 3-0 lead, then Basinger created separation with a grand slam off George.
Madi Ford provided a sacrifice fly in the third and the Golden Eagles added five more insurance runs in the fourth. Jaici Bishop started the rally with a homer to left, Toller and Cook laced RBI singles and Ford contributed a two-run base hit.
Samantha Riesen held the Wildcats hitless through three innings, but Henderson popped a single in the fourth and Talia delivered a base hit to trigger a fifth-inning rally. Freudenberger broke up the shutout with her second homer in as many days — a two-run blast to center. Briauna Carter doubled later in the rally but was stranded on second base when the final out was recorded.
The Wildcats (5-10 overall, 0-4 in SWAC) are scheduled to play against fifth-ranked Salt Lake in a four game series starting on Friday in Salt Lake City.
