HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Softball team dropped both games of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader against No. 16 College of Idaho on Saturday afternoon in Nelson Stadium.
Following a pair of walk-off wins on Friday, the Fighting Saints (5-7, 2-1) couldn't quite match the offensive output of the Yotes (5-3, 1-2) in the final two games of the weekend series.
GAME ONE: C of I - 15, Carroll - 8
Following appearances, and wins, in both Friday games,
Kennedy Venner (Billings, Mont. / JR) got the nod in game three of the series.
For the second time in the series, the Yotes posted a big first inning, as all nine batters saw the plate in the opening frame. A Hallie Campbell single brought home the game's first run, while both Makayla Frias and Keena Kay came away with 2 RBI doubles to give C of I a quick 5-0 advantage.
Carroll's home run leader in the early stages of the season,
Kenna Thomas (Belgrade, Mont. / SR) would bring the Saints right back into the mix in the bottom of the frame with a two-run homer to left field. The senior wasn't finished, however, clearing the bases with a double to right in the bottom of the second inning, tying the game at 5-5 with just two swings of the bat.
An error in the third inning would allow
Liz Ybarra (Fullerton, Calif. / SR) to reach base in the third inning, and a pinch-running
Reyse Phillips (Kittatas, Ore. / FR) would score from second to give Carroll its first lead of the day.
The first six batters of the fourth inning would reach base safely for C of I. Madelyn Powell, Lolo Walker, and Campbell all picked up consecutive RBI singles, and one additional run would cross home thanks to an error, vaulting the Yotes in front 9-6.
Carroll got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly from
Alyssa Lybbert (Las Vegas, Nev. / SR).
The Saints couldn't get out of their own way in the fifth inning, as the Yotes would score three runs on a wild pitch and throwing error by the Saints, extending their lead to 12-7. Chloe Flerchinger scored a pair with a double in the sixth inning, and Powell added one more run on an RBI single to stretch the lead to 15-7.
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Morgan Sunchild (Great Falls, Mont. / SR) solo shot to left in the bottom of the sixth would help the Saints stay alive for one more inning, but a three up, three down final frame would close out the 15-8 win for the Yotes.
Thomas was far and away the best bat on the field for Carroll in the morning game, going 3-4 with five RBI's and a run.
C of I's Campbell went 3-5 with 4 RBI's and a run, while Flerchinger was 4-5 with two RBI's and three runs scored.
GAME TWO: C of I - 7, Carroll - 6 (non-conference)
The Yotes put up to quick runs in the top of the first of the series finale. Ashlynn Nixon opened the scoring with an RBI single, before ultimately sliding safely into home on a double steal later in the frame.
Carroll responded, scoring all six of their runs in the first two innings.
Morgan Sunchild scored
Kati Slater (Yamhill, Ore. / JR) on a single to second field, then Brooklyn Jackson (Keizer, Ore. / SO) brought home the tying run on a sacrifice fly to deep right in the bottom half of the first.
Slater drove in a pair with a ringing double to right center in the second inning, before Sunchild added her second and third RBI's of the game on a double to left center two batters later, giving Carroll a 6-2 lead after two.
The Yotes would methodically claw their way back into the game with small ball moving players into position and timely hitting scoring runs over the next five innings.
A Powell homer in the third inning made the score 6-3. Audrey Street was the benefactor of a big bounce on a looping shot into right field in the fourth inning, legging out an RBI triple to pull the Yotes within two, before a Kamryn Ham sac-fly would bring her home and make things 6-5 in favor of the Saints after four.
Ham came up with another RBI in her next plate appearance in the sixth inning, a single that would knot the game up at 6-6.
Sydney Lierman's sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh completed the comeback win in the final game of the series for the Yotes, as Carroll would strand the game-tying run at second in their final frame.
Sunchild was 3-4 with three RBI's and a walk,Â
Sammie Labrum (Kalispell, Mont. / JR) was 4-5 with two RBI's, and Slater was 3-4 with two RBI's and two runs, but the Saints couldn't get anything going in the bottom half of the lineup.
Madelyn Powell was 3-3 with an RBI, one run, and one walk for the Yotes.
Abbie Amend (Spokane, Wash. / JR) went all seven innings, striking out six in the loss.
The Saints will return to Nelson Stadium next Friday and Saturday, hosting No. 4 Southern Oregon in an early-season series.
Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of that series, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.
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