COEUR d'ALENE - It's not about how you start, but how you finish.

After losing the first game of a Scenic West Athletic Conference doubleheader 8-0 to Salt Lake Community College, the North Idaho College softball team held the Bruins, ranked No. 4 in the NJCAA, scoreless until the fourth inning in the second game before losing again 5-0 on Friday at Memorial Field.

"They're good hitters and really disciplined hitters," NIC coach Don Don Williams said. "They don't strike out a whole lot and bundle their hits together and put the ball in play and score some runs."

In the first game, Salt Lake (31-4, 25-1 SWAC) scored three unearned runs in the first inning - then scored five in the fifth inning to end the game early on the 8-run rule. After totaling one hit through three innings of the second game, Salt Lake scored in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning.

"We're still making some mental errors defensively because we've had some injuries and are switching people around," Williams said.

NIC (11-22, 7-17) has lost starting outfielder Jordan Zumwalt (herniated disc) and shortstop Jenna Krum (foot) for the season due to injuries. Heather Bishop was the team’s starting left fielder before moving to shortstop after Krum’s injury against the College of Southern Idaho on March 10.

“We’re just continuing to work through those things,” Williams said. “We’re building, but also dealing with adversity with injuries. We brought in Kellsi Parson from the soccer team to play in the outfield because we were putting our pitchers in the outfield. They’ve been a great team at working to get better every day. Although it doesn’t show in the win-loss column and on the scoreboard, they’re getting better every day.”

With one out, Bishop and Shanika Sawyer singled in the sixth inning of the second game as the Cardinals loaded the bases, but were unable to score.

“I was a little disappointed in our offensive production,” Williams said. “To get shut out in both games — that’s always hard to take.”

Emily Perlich struck out four for NIC in the second game.

“Emily was throwing us a good game,” said Sawyer, a freshman catcher. “Then we had an error (in the fourth inning) and we got a little flustered, then had another and that led to runs. Salt Lake is a solid ballclub and took advantage of the mistakes we made. Lately, we’ve been making too many mistakes, but I think we can beat them if we can keep our mistakes to a minimum.”

Ashley Kay struck out six in the second game for Salt Lake — which has now won 29 of its last 30 games. MaCauley Flint struck out six in the opener, allowing only a second-inning single to NIC first baseman Kelsey LaVaute.

“We never really relate to the outcome of a game,” Salt Lake coach Mary Kay Amicone said. “We stress to our players just play pitch by pitch and try to win the pitch and I think that our success and being focused on the next pitch has worked out really well for us. It was a good day for our pitching staff. They’re a good hitting team.”

The teams will play another doubleheader today at noon at Memorial Field.

FIRST GAME

Salt Lake 300 05 — 8 7 0

North Idaho 000 00 — 0 1 4

Game called after 5 innings due to 8-run rule.

MaCauley Flint and Susan Duke; Hunter Allen and Shanika Sawyer. W — Flint (15-2). L — Allen (3-9).

HITS: SLCC — Duke 3, Campos 2, Hager, Holt. NIC — LaVaute. 2B — Duke, Campos, Holt.

SECOND GAME

Salt Lake 000 212 0 — 5 6 1

North Idaho 000 000 0 — 0 3 2

Ashley Kay and Susan Duke; Emily Perlich and Shelby Carter, Shanika Sawyer (4). W — Kay (6-0). L — Perlich (5-11).

HITS: SLCC — Palmer 2, Anderson, Campos, Hager, Holt. NIC — Tinoco, Bishop, Sawyer.