NIC SOFTBALL: Cardinals swept, slip in SWAC standings

WORLEY — Freshman Elizabeth Hatch scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 4-3 with two outs in the seventh inning for North Idaho College, which was unable to put across the tying run in a loss to the Utah State-Eastern Eagles of Price, Utah, in the first game of a Scenic West Athletic Conference doubleheader at the Marimn Health Coeur Center on Saturday. 

Later, Utah State-Eastern (15-21, 8-16 SWAC) beat NIC (15-32, 7-17) 15-5 to move past the Cardinals into third place in conference with two weeks remaining.  

Snow (13-30, 7-21), which is currently fifth in the conference, concludes the regular season with home doubleheaders against Utah State-Eastern on May 7-8. 

The top four teams advance to the Region 18 Tournament at the site of the conference champion starting May 12. 

NIC travels to 19th-ranked Salt Lake for doubleheaders next Friday and Saturday, then concludes the regular season at 23rd-ranked College of Southern Idaho on May 8-9.

FIRST GAME 

Utah State-Eastern    000    013    0    —    4    9    1 

North Idaho        000    002    1    —    3    6    2 

Allie Fowler and Brooklynn Zajac; Maelynn Durham, Makenna Webber (6) and Chloe Hearrell. 

HITS: USUE — Wright, Spight, Fowler 3, Sandoval 2, Hardman 2. NIC — Hearrell, Parry, Roberts 2, Brockman 2. 2B — Fowler 3, Sandoval 2, Brockman.  

SECOND GAME 

Utah State-Eastern    015    221    0    —    11    12    1 

North Idaho        003    200    0    —    5    9    3 

Sadie Parson, Keyana Murray (3) and Brooklynn Zajac; Lilly McNett, Makenna Webber (5) and Chloe Hearrell. 

HITS: USUE — Hardman, Quinn 2, Zajac, Spight 2, Hadzialijagic 4, Snarr 2. NIC — Hearrell 3, Parry, Roberts, Hatch 2, Hanchey 2. 2B — Hanchey. 3B — Quinn, Parry.