Cards stumble, split with Colorado Northwestern

| May 1, 2011 9:00 PM

RANGELY, Colo. - Monique Mier doubled with two outs in the seventh to lift Colorado Northwestern to a 9-8 win in the first game, but the visiting North Idaho Cardinals recovered behind six RBIs from freshman Desirae Tinoco to win the second game 21-5 in their Scenic West Athletic Conference softball finale on Saturday.

Aspen Hall had four RBIs in the first game for Colorado Northwestern (3-46, 3-40 SWAC), which built an 8-4 lead in the fifth inning. NIC rallied with a four-run seventh inning to tie it, but left two on in the inning.

Colorado Northwestern snapped a 26-game losing streak. Its last win was Feb. 20 at Western Nevada.

"We had a slow start the first game, but we can back strong in the second game," NIC assistant coach Angie Boardman said. "We are to the point of the season where the girls need to play their heart out so to have a loss to the last-place team in the league hit hard. We now realize that you can't underestimate your opponent and expect a win - you have to earn it."

Jenifer Rosie had seven strikeouts in the first game for NIC, which pounded out 20 hits in the second game. Blake Meredith went 4 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs and Ashley Moon went 3 of 5 with four RBIs and two runs.

NIC (33-24, 26-20) is idle next weekend, then competes in the Region 18 tournament May 12-14 at Salt Lake Community College.

FIRST GAME

North Idaho 200 200 4 - 8 11 2

C. Northwestern 040 310 1 - 9 10 1

Two outs when winning run scored.

Jenifer Rosie, Blake Meredith (6) and Shelby Gonzales; Jessica Olsen and Meagan Lish. W - Olsen (1-17). L - Meredith (7-9).

HITS: NIC - Gonzales, DeAnda 2, Meredith, Tinoco, Erickson 2, Wise 4. CN - Hall 2, Rupp, Myers, Cook 2, Brimhall 2, Mier 2. 2B - Wise, Mier. 3B - Hall. HR - DeAnda (5), Cook.

SECOND GAME

North Idaho 552 54 - 21 20 3

C. Northwestern 022 01 - 5 9 2

Game ended after fifth inning due to 15-run rule.

Jenifer Rosie, Blake Meredith (4), Jocelynn Probert and Shelby Gonzales; Sydney Gibbs, Aspen Hall (5) Meagan Lish. W - Rosie (11-10). L - Gibbs (1-12).

HITS: NIC - DeAnda 2, Meredith 4, Tinoco 5, Moon 3, Erickson 2, Goodwin 2, Edwards, Bishop. CN - Cook 3, Almond, Gibbs, Lish, Mier. 2B - DeAnda, Meredith, Tinoco 3, Moon 2, Erickson, Goodwin, Cook, Lish.