CLACKAMAS, Ore. – The Carroll College softball team split its two games in the second day of the Northwest Cup, Saturday. The Saints defeated Northwest Christian 1-0 in a pitcher's duel and fell to No. 21 College of Idaho 9-2.

The Saints began the day against Northwest Christian and starting pitcher Megan Gipe was stellar. She struck out five and allowed just three hits on the complete game shutout.

"We came out today and played a heck of a game to open up the day," head coach Aaron Jackson said.  "Megan Gipe pitched a fabulous game only giving up only three hits on the day and two of those coming in the last inning. Our defense also played very well to keep us in the game until the final inning."

After six scoreless innings the Saints got on the board in the top of the seventh when, with one out, Maddie Jones doubled to left field. Kathryn Zink pinch ran for Jones and two batters later, Paige Blake doubled to center field to drive in Zink for the only run of the game.

"Offensively we were putting the ball in play all game but just weren't finding the holes," Jackson said.  "In the seventh Maddie Jones stretched out a single into a gutsy double to get us going, then Paige Blake stepped up big with a double up the middle to get us a lead."

In the bottom of the seventh NWC tallied two singles to get base runners before the game was ended on a fly-out to center field.

"It was awesome to see us win a low scoring game," Jackson said. "We had some great performance by our young players that bodes well for our future."

The defense struggled in the second game.

After a scoreless first inning, the College of Idaho bats fired up in the second inning when they scored three runs.

The Saints answered with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Kinley Pope was walked with the bases loaded to give the Saints the first run. The second run came on a wild pitch that scored Justine Taylor from third.

The Saints would go scoreless for the rest of the game but C of I scored one in the third inning, one in the fourth and four in the sixth to reach the final score of 9-2. Both teams allowed six hits but the Saints gave up six errors to just one for the Yotes.

"Game two was a struggle defensively for us," Jackson said. "Katie Zink pitched a heck of a game only allowing three hits but our defense let us down."

The second game was disappointing for the Saints but Jackson knows this is par for the course for a first-year team.
 
"We will learn from our second game and remember all the great things we did today," Jackson said.  "I told the team not to let game two define the day but rather remember all the positives. I believe we do that and finish the weekend well tomorrow."

The Saints face No. 17 Oregon Tech Sunday at 9 a.m. PST, the Saints fell to the Owls 11-2 in the first game of the weekend. At 11 a.m. PST, the Saints meet Eastern Oregon.