- BASKETBALL

Pairings were announced Sunday for the upcoming Northwest Athletic Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, both 16-team events scheduled for Everett Community College.

The defending conference tourney champion North Idaho College men (27-2), the East Region champions, open Thursday at 10 a.m. vs. Clackamas (20-8), the fourth seed from the South Region.

The NIC women (20-8), the fourth seed from the East Region, open Saturday vs. either Lane (26-2) or Umpqua (24-4), the top seed from the South Region.

Championship games in both tourneys are scheduled for March 17.

NWAC MEN’S TOURNAMENT

At Everett Community College

Thursday, March 7

Game 1 — West No. 3 Centralia (19-10) vs. North No. 2 Edmonds (19-9), 8 a.m.

Game 2 ­— South No. 4 Clackamas (20-8) vs. East No. 1 North Idaho (27-2), 10 a.m.

Game 3 — North No. 3 Peninsula (10-18) vs. West No. 2 Green River (19-10), noon

Game 4 — East No. 4 Wenatchee Valley (16-11) vs. South No. 1 Lake (24-3) or Umpqua (20-8), 2 p.m.

Game 5 — East No. 2 Spokane (20-9) vs. South No. 2 Lane (24-3) or Umpqua (20-8), 4 p.m.

Game 6 — North No. 4 Whatcomb (13-13) vs. West No. 1 South Puget Sound (25-4), 6 p.m.

Game 7 — West No. 4 Lower Columbia (18-10) vs. North No. 1 Everett (22-7), 8 p.m.

Game 8 — South No. 3 Chemeketa (18-8) vs. East No. 2 Walla Walla (19-10), 10 p.m.

Friday, March 8

Game 9 — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.

Game 10 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 3 p.m.

Game 11 — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 5 p.m.

Game 12 — Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 16

Semifinals

Game 13 — Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 5 p.m.

Game 14 — Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12, 7 p.m.

Sunday, March 17

Championship

Semifinal winners, 4:45 p.m.

NWAC WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT

At Everett Community College

Saturday, March 9

Game 1 — West No. 3 Centralia (14-14) vs. North No. 2 Olympic (11-12), 8 a.m.

Game 2 — South No. 4 Mt. Hood (20-9) vs. East No. 1 Big Bend (25-4), 10 a.m.

Game 3 — North No. 3 Whatcom (17-9) vs. West No. 2 Grays Harbor (15-11), noon

Game 4 — East No. 4 North Idaho (20-8) vs. South No. 1 Lane (26-2) or Umpqua (24-4), 2 p.m.

Game 5 — East No. 3 Walla Walla (20-9) vs. South No. 2 Lane (26-2) or Umpqua (24-4), 4 p.m.

Game 6 — North No. 4 Skagit Valley (14-13) vs. West No. 1 Lower Columbia (20-9), 6 p.m.

Game 7 — West No. 4 Highline (12-13) vs. North No. 1 Peninsula (18-8), 8 p.m.

Game 8 — South No. 2 Clackamas (15-10) vs. East No. 2 Wenatchee Valley (24-5).

Sunday, March 10

Game 9 — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.

Game 10 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 3 p.m.

Game 11 — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 5 p.m.

Game 12 — Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 16

Semifinals

Game 13 — Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 1 p.m.

Game 14 — Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12, 3 p.m.

Sunday, March 17

Championship

Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.

- SOFTBALL

NIC finishes with two wins in six games in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla. — North Idaho College blanked Macomb Community College 9-0 in five innings, then fell to Mercyhurst North East 5-4 in eight innings to complete their season-opening six-game stretch of games in the Sunshine State.

Against Macomb, Madi Mott pitched four innings of one-hit ball with eight strikeouts for NIC. Devinne Amesquita hit a two-run homer in the first inning for the Cardinals, and Taylor Anderson delivered a three-run double in the second.

In the second game, Tori Harding of Mercyhurst North East hit a three-run homer to tie NIC 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth, then the Saints scored on a wild pitch in the eighth to win the game.

Grace Ferres struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings for NIC.

NIC (2-4) is scheduled to open Northwest Athletic Conference play March 15 at home with a doubleheader vs. Walla Walla.

NORTH IDAHO 9, MACOMB 0

Macomb 000 00 — 0 1 1

North Idaho 241 2x — 9 12 3

Madi Mott, Betty Comack (5) and Taylor Anderson, Hannah Click (5); Shephard, Christensen (2) and Ludwig.

HITS: Mac — Todaro. NIC — Kerr, Mott 2, Amesquita 2, Cavanagh, Williams 2, Hecker 2, Hammond, Anderson. 2B — Todaro, Anderson. HR — Amesquita, Williams.

MERCYHURST 5, NORTH IDAHO 4

North Idaho 001 003 00 — 4 7 0

Mercyhurst 000 013 01 — 5 5 4

Grace Ferres, Andrea Hoey (6) and Taylor Anderson; Hindman and Davis.

HITS: NIC — Kerr, Mott, Amesquita, Williams, Hecker, Anderson, Shimatsu. Mer — Johnson, Guzman, Hardins, Patrei, Davis. 2B — Anderson. HR — Harding.