NIC SOFTBALL: Games (back)stopped ... Cardinals, Bruins call off regular season finale after Salt Lake protests

COEUR d’ALENE — After taking two games from No. 25 Salt Lake on Thursday, North Idaho College had the momentum it needed going into sophomore day on Friday at Memorial Field. 

But, as it turned out, the Cardinals were missing one key ingredient.  

A pad for the wooden backstop at their home field. 

In the top of the fourth inning, with Salt Lake leading 2-0, Bruin coach Cyndee Bennett filed a protest, as padding on the backstop is required for Scenic West Athletic Conference play. The NJCAA, which NIC rejoined this year after years in the regional-friendly Northwest Athletic Conference, only recommends padding, should a backstop of wood, cement or brick be used. 

NIC swept Salt Lake 3-2 and 5-4 in eight innings on Thursday. 

“The issue wasn’t brought up all day yesterday (Thursday),” first-year NIC coach Michael Garoutte said Friday. “They brought it up in the fourth inning. It wasn’t required in the NWAC and we couldn’t move the game to another location. We had a ton of parents and fans here with gifts for the players, and since everything was here, didn’t feel like moving all of that stuff somewhere else.” 

NIC played its first conference games at home at Airport Park in Lewiston in March, then had games with CSI moved to Lake City High due to weather. 

The games against Salt Lake were the first played by NIC this year at Memorial Field.

“We tried to get the games moved to Lake City, but it would have been two hours before we could have gotten on the field,” Garoutte said. “And we might not have gotten the second game in. So, we just called the games off.” 

NIC athletic director Shawn Noel said that after a delay of 30 minutes, both teams declared the games a no-contest. 

“It was decided by all parties to call the games a no-contest,” Noel said. “Salt Lake packed up their gear and got in their bus and left.” 

NIC (20-24, 12-18 SWAC) will be the fourth seed and open the Region 18 Tournament in Twin Falls on Tuesday against host and No. 24 College of Southern Idaho (37-14, 28-4), which claimed the conference title. Had NIC swept on Friday, the Cardinals could have moved up to the third seed and faced Salt Lake (33-10, 20-10) in the first game on Tuesday. Instead, Salt Lake will face Snow (18-29, 13-19). 

“As far as the tournament goes, it doesn’t matter who we play,” Garoutte said. “We’re playing at our peak right now and our pitching looked really good this week. We didn’t want to risk injury with games that were going to be played under protest and decided to call the games off.” 

REGION 18 SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
At College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls 

TImes PDT

Tuesday’s Games 

Game 1 — No. 2 seed Salt Lake (33-10) vs. No. 3 Snow (18-29), 11 a.m. 

Game 2 — No. 1 Southern Idaho (37-14) vs. No. 4 North Idaho (20-24), 1:30 p.m. 

Wednesday’s Games 

Game 3 — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 11 a.m. 

Game 4 — Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 1:30 p.m. 

Game 5 — Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 4 p.m. 

Thursday’s Games 

Game 6 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 11 a.m. (championship game) 

Game 7 — Loser Game 6 vs. Winner Game 6, 1:30 p.m. (if-necessary game)

    KYLE DISHAW PHOTOGRAPHY North Idaho College's Faith Nichols and Kristine Schmidt are pictured before the start of Friday's scheduled Scenic West Athletic Conference game at Memorial Field. The game was called off in the top of the fourth inning after Salt Lake coach Cydnee Bennett protested that the field did not have protective padding on the backstop, which is required in Scenic West Athletic Conference games. The games were declared a no contest.