NIC SOFTBALL: Cardinals swept by CSI in first SWAC twinbill since 2016

TWIN FALLS — Alli Drake led off the game with a home run, then hit a two-run shot in the seventh to give North Idaho College a 5-3 lead, but Southern Idaho’s Abbie Banning’s three-run walk off home run lifted the Golden Eagles over the Cardinals in the Scenic West Athletic Conference opener for both schools on Friday. 

Katelyn Larney hit a two-run home run to tie the game at 3-3 in the sixth for NIC, which is returning to the conference this season after leaving in 2016 for the regional-based Northwest Athletic Conference. 

In the nightcap, Larney hit a solo home run in the fifth inning for the Cardinals (8-8, 0-2 SWAC), who fell 9-1 in five innings. 

“We need to regroup and clean up our defense and pitching,” first-year NIC coach Michael Garoutte said. “We had opportunities to close Game 1, but it didn’t happen. Put that in our file and learn to close out games better.” 

CSI is 7-10, 2-0. 

The teams meet again today in Twin Falls.

“Tomorrow is another day and for us, another opportunity to bring home a couple of wins,” Garoutte said. 

FIRST GAME 

North Idaho        100    002    2    —    5    7    2 

Southern Idaho    011    100    5    —    8    10    1 

Kristine Schmidt and Corine Duran; Stoddard, Fuller (7) and Christian.  

HITS: NIC — Drake 2, Nelson 2, Nichols, Hanchey, Larney. CSI — Hansen, Heitz 2, Archuleta, Christian, Keck 2, Yazzie, Banning 2. 2B — Hanchey. HR — Drake 2, Larney, Heitz, Banning. 

SECOND GAME 

North Idaho        000    01    —    1    3    4 

Southern Idaho    210    06    —    9    7    0 

Maliyah Mann, Lilly McNett (5) and Corine Doran; Farrell and Christian. 

HITS: NIC — Larney 2, Wirt. CSI — Hansen 3, Heitz, Archuleta, Yazzie, Howell. 2B — Yazzie, Howell. HR — Larney.