NWAC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS: Cardinals fall short in bid for conference title ... NIC second in final season in conference before returning to NJCAA next spring
NIC ATHLETICS The North Idaho College softball team finished runner-up in the Northwest Athletic Conference Championships at Delta Park in Portland on Sunday. IN the back row, from left are head coach Shay Chapman, Faith Nichols, Sophia Solberg, Madelynne Hommel, Corine Doran, Emily Schulhauser, Kennedy Hobson, Delaney Gosch, Karaline Pfeifer, Tayler Thomas, Brooklyn Wullenwaber, Summer Makinster, Jaylyn Christensen, Kaylee Vieira, Haydyn Yanaguchi and assistant coach Megan Carver. In the front row are Karli Kostoff, Hayden Rockwell, Kani Korok, Kristine Schmidt, Hailey Hillman and Kennedy J…
PORTLAND — As the final chapter closed on the Northwest Athletic Conference for the North Idaho College softball team Sunday, there was no storybook ending on this day.
Still, it doesn’t change the story for the Cardinals season, which included a 37-game win streak.
Madison Walker hit a tiebreaking three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning as second-seeded Mt. Hood took an 8-5 lead.
NIC, the tournament's top seed, loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but was unable to score, ending the game on a pop-out to shortstop, giving the Saints of Gresham, Ore., their second conference title in three years.
“It was back and forth all game,” fifth-year NIC coach Shay Chapman said. “It was a great game. They just had a few more big hits than we did. We made some great plays and had some great hits. It could have gone either way. It was such a good game.”
NIC, which will move back to the NJCAA’s Scenic West Athletic Conference for the first time since 2016, finished 44-4.
The Cardinals were seeking their first NWAC title since winning in 2019 in Spokane, the second of back-to-back titles.
“We’re not satisfied, but proud of the season we had,” Chapman said. “And our record says a lot about them. As much as we wanted that championship, this group had such a good year. They’re a solid group of girls, and can definitely play. They made a name for our school. It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but they accomplished a lot of big things.”
The conference did not hold a championship tournament in 2020 or 2021 due to COVID-19.
NIC opened the scoring in the top of the first inning as sophomore Hayden Rockwell scored on a passed ball. The Cardinals extended the lead to 3-0 on a two-run home run by freshman Kaylee Vieira.
Mt. Hood (46-4) answered in the bottom of the inning on a three-run home run by Jasmine Barela. Peyton Foreman followed with a solo shot to give the Saints a 4-3 lead after the first.
NIC regained the lead on a two-run single by sophomore Karli Kostoff to score freshman Faith Nichols and sophomore Emily Schulhauser in the top of the fourth inning. Foreman had an RBI single in the fifth to tie the game at 5-5 for Mt. Hood.
“I’ll miss this team,” Chapman said. “They’re good people and so much fun to coach. The sophomores left their legacy here, and should feel good about where we left it. I’ll miss the NWAC, but I’m happy with the next chapter we’re getting into.”
Rockwell, Kristine Schmidt, Cori Doran and Kani Korok of NIC were all named to the all-tournament team.
North Idaho 300 200 0 — 5 7 0
Mt. Hood 400 013 x — 8 9 0
Kristine Schmidt, Jaylyn Christensen (6) and Corine Doran; Sara Martin, Bella Curazo (5) and Izzie Brauckmiller.
HITS: NIC — Hobson 2, Korok, Vieira, Schulhauser, Nichols, Kostoff. MHCC — Carroll, Walker 4, Allen, Barela, Foreman 2. 2B — Walker. HR — Vieira, Walker, Barela, Foreman.
NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Delta Park-Owens Sports Complex, Portland
Thursday’s Games
Mt. Hood 8, Yakima Valley 3
Columbia Basin 8, Treasure Valley 7
Wenatchee Valley 11, Walla Walla 3, 5 innings
Southwestern Oregon 10, Chemeketa 2, 6 innings
Spokane 4, Everett 3
Lower Columbia 13, Douglas 6
Clackamas 9, Edmonds 3
North Idaho 9, Grays Harbor 1, 5 innings
Yakima Valley 9, Treasure Valley 0, 5 innings (loser out)
Walla Walla 9, Chemeketa 1, 6 innings (loser out)
Mt. Hood 4, Columbia Basin 0
Wenatchee Valley 8, Southwestern Oregon 4
Douglas 9, Everett 8 (loser out)
Edmonds 7, Grays Harbor 6 (loser out)
Lower Columbia 5, Spokane 4
North Idaho 12, Clackamas 3, 5 innings
Friday’s Games
Clackamas 10, Yakima Valley 2, 5 innings (loser out)
Walla Walla 11, Spokane 8 (loser out)
Southwestern Oregon 6, Douglas 5, 10 innings (loser out)
Edmonds 5, Columbia Basin 3 (loser out)
Mt. Hood 2, Wenatchee Valley 0
North Idaho 15, Lower Columbia 9
Wenatchee Valley 17, Clackamas 9, 6 innings (loser out)
Lower Columbia 16, Southwestern Oregon 8, 5 innings (loser out)
Saturday’s Games
Mt. Hood 8, North Idaho 3 (semifinal)
Lower Columbia 6, Wenatchee Valley 5 (Wenatchee Valley fourth)
North Idaho 11, Lower Columbia 9 (Lower Columbia third)
Sunday’s Game
No. 2 Mt. Hood (46-4) 8, No. 1 North Idaho (44-4) 5 (championship game)