Gonzales homers twice as NIC sweeps Southern Nevada

LAS VEGAS - Sophomore catcher Shelby Gonzales homered in both games for North Idaho College in a 12-9, 16-10 doubleheader softball sweep of Southern Nevada on Saturday in Scenic West Athletic Conference play.

Former Post Falls High standout Blake Meredith hit a two-run home run in the first inning of the opening game as the Cardinals scored five runs in both the first and third innings.

Gonzales went 4 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs scored in the first game. She increased her season school record for home runs to 25.

"Gonzales is getting stronger as the season goes on," NIC assistant coach Angie Boardman said. "She is hitting nearly every ball where it is pitched and being such a hard out for other teams."

Freshman Ashley Moon went 5 for 5 with two home runs and seven RBIs in the second game as the Cardinals combined to hit five home runs. Moon hit a solo home run in the third and followed with a three-run shot in the fourth inning for NIC, giving her three home runs on the weekend.

Kristina DeAnda and Kelsey LaVaute also hit home runs in the second game for NIC (23-19, 16-15 SWAC), which took three of four in the weekend series, and hosts Snow College this Friday and Saturday in doubleheaders at Memorial Field.

"LaVaute is really starting to step it up at the plate, which is awesome to see since she has been working so hard," Boardman said. "Same goes for (Brianna) Bishop and (KaSara) Wise."

Southern Nevada falls to 25-21, 18-14.

FIRST GAME

North Idaho 505 020 0 - 12 16 4

S. Nevada 013 012 2 - 9 11 3

Jenifer Rosie, Jocelynn Probert (3) and Shelby Gonzales; Monet Ormsby, Lianne Bajarin (4) and Antoinette Woodward. W - Rosie. L - Ormsby.

HITS: NIC - DeAnda, Meredith 3, Gonzales 4, Tinoco 2, Moon, Erickson, Wise 2, LaVaute, Bishop. CSN - Woodward 4, Firelein, Ormsby, Adams, Felese 2, Jaramillo, Bajarin. 2B - Gonzales, Moon, Wise, Firelein, Ormsby. HR - Meredith, Gonzales, Woodward 2.

SECOND GAME

North Idaho 302 423 2 - 16 18 4

S. Nevada 303 022 0 - 10 12 2

Blake Meredith, Alyssa Erickson (7) and Shelby Gonzales; Lianne Bajarin, Monet Ormsby (3), Samantha Powell (5) Alicia Firelein (7) and Antoinette Woodward. W - Meredith. L - Bajarin.

HITS: NIC - DeAnda 4, Meredith 2, Gonzales 2, Moon 5, LaVaute 2, Erickson, Bishop 2. CSN - Lucero, Uriarte, Woodward 2, Firelein, Adams, Felese 4, Bundy, Jaramillo. 2B - DeAnda, Moon, Woodward, Adams. 3B - Felese. HR - DeAnda, Gonzales, Moon 2, LaVaute, Firelein, Felese 2.