Cardinals split with Wildcats

by From news services
| April 20, 2014 9:00 PM

CARSON CITY, Nev. - Nobody would have blamed Katilyn Covione if she had opted for the safety of the Western Nevada Wildcats' dugout after taking a ball off the side of her face in the sixth inning on Saturday.

A day earlier, she missed the first two games of the series with North Idaho College after a pregame grounder cut her mouth and gave her an unrelenting headache.

After about a five-minute delay, she stepped back into the batter's box and became the hero of the opener, hitting a tiebreaking two-run home run to give the Wildcats a 10-8 win against the Cardinals.

NIC bounced back in the second game as Hayden Fields hit a solo home run in the second inning and Allison Paladini hit a two-run shot in the seventh to lead the Cardinals to an 8-2 win.

NIC (30-19, 25-15 SWAC) host Southern Idaho in conference play next weekend at Memorial Field.

Earlier on Saturday, Southern Idaho clinched the conference title for the second straight year after beating Snow.

Western Nevada is 12-36, 9-30.

Box scores were not available.