CALDWELL, Idaho - A highly-anticipated opening day saw the Carroll Softball team pick up a 3-0 win in their first game, before falling 5-4 in the second leg of Friday's doubleheader at (RV) College of Idaho on Symms Field.

GAME ONE: Carroll 3 - College of Idaho 0

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Two-time All-Conference pitcher Kennedy Venner (Billings, Mont. / SR) got the nod in the season opener, twirling a four-hit, complete game shutout.

With their senior ace in the circle taking care of business, the Fighting Saints got things going early with their first chances at the plate. Taylor Sayers (Helena, Mont. / SO) led-off the second inning with a bloop single in to left. Two batters later, Brooke Thompson (Billings, Mont. / JR) drove in the first run of the year, scoring Sayers from second with an RBI single to left.

Carroll doubled their lead in the top of the fourth, with Riley Simone (Cody, Wyo. / SO) took home on a Kati Slater (Yamhill, Ore. / SR) steal at second. The Yotes couldn't get the tag on either runner, giving the Saints a 2-0 lead at the midway point.

An insurance run was plated in the top of the seventh, with first baseman Sammie Labrum (Kalispell, Mont. / SR) finding the gap in right center to drive in Madison Walker (Ridgefield, Wash. / JR). Carroll had plenty of traffic on the bases in the frame, but stranded three heading into the home half of the final inning.

Venner put the game to rest in the seventh, allowing just one hit in the frame while the Yotes grounded into a pair of fielder's choices to end the game. The senior pitcher finished with three strikeouts in the win, allowing just three walks in her 28 batters faced.

Both Walker and Thompson impressed in their Carroll debuts, each going 2-4 at the plate.

GAME TWO: Carroll 4 - College of Idaho 5

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Mickinley Ermshar (Battleground, Wash. / SO) got the start in the afternoon tilt, allowing four earned on four hits in her complete game effort.

Carroll out-hit the Yotes in the second game, 9-4, but were unable to turn baserunners into runs in the loss.

College of Idaho got on the board in the bottom of the first. An early error allowed the leadoff hitter to reach safely, and she was brought home two batters later on a sacrifice fly to give the Yotes a 1-0 lead.

A triple in the home half of the third brought home two additional runs for the Yotes, before Watts added another RBI on her second sac fly to give C of I a 4-0 lead heading into the fourth.

The Saints found their first runs of the afternoon in the top of the fifth. Singles by Walker and Slater brought up Sayers with the bases loaded and a chance to get back in it. The sophomore came through, blasting a two RBI single to halve the lead, 4-2.

A single, error, and pair of walks would lead to the next Carroll run, as they inched closer with Brynn Notbohm (Miles City, Mont. / SO) drawing a bases loaded walk. Ella Seaman (Belgrade, Mont. / SO) picked up her first RBI of the year, driving home one with a sharp single into left. A double play one batter later, however, would end the Carroll run with the game knotted at 4-4 in the sixth.

A walk, followed by a Reeves double put College of Idaho back in front in the bottom of the frame, this time for good. Carroll managed to load the bases up one last time in the seventh, but the Yotes closed out the win with a 1-6-3-2 double play.

Slater and Sayers led the Carroll offense in game two, both going 2-4 with Sayers coming away with two RBI's.

The Saints will turn their attention towards a Saturday evening doubleheader with Preseason No. 3 Eastern Oregon tomorrow, looking to win the weekend before a trip to Arizona in two weeks.