NIC SOFTBALL: Cardinals open at Memorial with sweep
JASON ELLIOTT/Press North Idaho College sophomore Taya Escalante is congratulated by Cardinal coach Shay Fuson after hitting a solo home run in bottom of the second inning of Friday's nightcap against Yakima Valley at Memorial Field. NIC swept the Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader 13-10 and 10-1.
JASON ELLIOTT/Press North Idaho College freshman right fielder Witney Belliston runs down a fly ball during the second inning of Friday's second game against Yakima Valley at Memorial Field.
JASON ELLIOTT/Press North Idaho College freshman pitcher Abbey Brooks throws a pitch during the first inning of Friday's second game against Yakima Valley at Memorial Field.
COEUR d’ALENE — Sophomore Aleksya Batoon homered in both games for North Idaho College, which swept the Yakima Valley Yaks 13-10 and 10-1 in its Northwest Athletic Conference home opener at Memorial Field on Friday.
Batoon hit a two-run single in the first inning of the opener, then added a two-run double in the fourth for NIC.
In the nightcap, Taya Escalante hit a solo home run in the second inning and Batoon added a solo shot in the third for the Cardinals.
NIC (11-9, 6-4 NWAC) travels to Clackamas next Friday.
Yakima Valley, which committed six errors in the second game, is 6-17, 2-8.
FIRST GAME
Yakima Valley 420 310 0 — 10 11 2
North Idaho 421 312 x — 13 12 2
Alyssa Oswald and Karly Hanosky; Meg Dobrev and Lexy Orien. W — Dobrev. L — Oswald.
HITS: YVCC — Jay 3, Samhart 2, Stanfield 2, Hanosky 2, Barnes, Hahn. NIC — Dumas 2, Vanderwiel 3, Escalante 2, Ribordy 2, Batoon 2, Dobrev, Orien. 2B — Jay, Barnes. 3B — Dumas. HR — Jay, Kanosky, Hahn, Vanderwiel, Batoon 2, Ribordy.
SECOND GAME
Yakima Valley 001 00 — 1 3 6
North Idaho 411 4x — 10 8 1
Game called in 5th inning due to 8-run rule.
Emmaleena Wood and Karly Hanosky; Abbey Brooks and Lexy Orien. W — Brooks. L — Wood.
HITS: YVCC — Almueti, Barnes, McAtee. NIC — Escalante 2, Vanderwiel, Batoon 3, Dobrev, Belliston. 2B — Vanderwiel, Batoon, Belliston. HR — Escalante, Batoon.
