NIC SOFTBALL: Cardinals fall into fourth in SWAC

EPHRAIM, Utah — North Idaho College slipped one game back of Snow College into fourth place in the Scenic West Athletic Conference softball standings following the Badgers' 2-1 and 12-1 sweep of the Cardinals at the Snow College Softball Complex on Friday. 

In the opener, NIC sophomore Chloe Hearrell singled to score Maya Perry to tie game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth inning. Snow regained the lead on an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to make it 2-1. 

Maelynn Durham, a sophomore from Gooding High, struck out nine in the opener for NIC. 

In the second game, Bree Garcia hit a grand slam in a nine-run first inning for the Badgers, who extended the Cardinals' losing streak to 10 games. 

NIC (12-27, 5-13) and Snow (12-21, 6-12) play another doubleheader today in Ephraim.

The top four teams in the SWAC advance to the Region 18 tournament.

FIRST GAME 

North Idaho    000    010    0    —    1    4    0 

Snow        010    001    x    —    2    6    2 

Maelynn Durham and Chloe Hearrell; Avery Thorkelson, Mallory Kelsey (2) and Rian Howland. 

HITS: NIC — Hearrell, Roberts, Drake, Stern. Snow — Fisher, Thomas 2, Howland, Kelsey, Hall. 2B — none. 3B — Roberts. 

SECOND GAME 

North Idaho    000    10    —    1    3    5 

Snow        903    0x    —    12    13    0 

Lilly McNett, Makenna Webber (1) and Chloe Hearrell; Avery Thorkelson and Rian Howland. HITS: NIC — Drake, Hatch, Webber. Snow — Fisher 3, Thomas 2, Laolagi-Aloy 3, Howland, Thorkelson, Garcia, Carrasquel, Riedle. 2B — Fisher, Thomas. HR — Fisher 2, Garcia.