NIC SOFTBALL: Cardinals swept by Salt Lake in still-crowded SWAC race to postseason

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — Aspen Roberts, a freshman from Riverton, Utah, hit a two-run home run in the first inning, then added a solo shot in the seventh inning for North Idaho College, but the Cardinals fell to the 17th-ranked Salt Lake Community College Bruins 13-10 in the second game and were swept in a Scenic West Athletic Conference doubleheader at Norma Carr Field on Saturday. 

Salt Lake (34-10, 27-5 SWAC) won the first game from NIC (15-36, 7-21), sweeping the four-game weekend series. The Bruins, who concluded the regular season on Saturday, await the results of next weekend’s series between NIC and second-place Southern Idaho (34-11, 23-5) to determine the host of the Region 18 Tournament starting on May 12. 

If NIC takes a game from CSI next week in Twin Falls, the Bruins will host regionals. If CSI sweeps, the tournament will be in Twin Falls, as CSI holds the tiebreaker over Salt Lake.

CSI and Salt Lake went 4-4 against each other in conference this season. Utah State-Eastern (15-25, 8-20), which currently leads NIC and Snow (13-30, 7-21) by one game for third, went 7-1 against the Bruins this season, while CSI swept Utah State-Eastern. 

Snow plays host to Utah State-Eastern in a pair of doubleheaders next weekend.

Sophomore Hannah Brockman, sophomore Alli Drake and freshman Nevaeh McClaran also homered in the second game for NIC. 

Jazmine Prathan drove in seven runs on the day for Salt Lake. 

FIRST GAME 

North Idaho    000    02    —    2    3    1 

Salt Lake    155    5x    —    16    16    0 

Game called in 5th inning due to 10-run rule. 

Maelynn Durham, Makenna Webber (3) and Chloe Hearrell; Aubrie Hansen, Whitney Foster (5) and Savannah Palmatier. 

HITS: NIC — Brockman, Drake, Madsen. SLCC — Reynen 2, Painter 3, Palmatier 3, Prathan 3, Medina 2, Harker, Schneider, Barlow 2. 2B — Drake, Prathan, Medina, Barlow. 

SECOND GAME 

North Idaho    401    301    1    —    10    13    2 

Salt Lake    006    520    x    —    13    15    2 

Lilly McNett, Elizabeth Hatch (5), Makenna Webber (5) and Chloe Hearrell; Paige Fennell, Elliott Plewe (3), Brecka Larson (4) and Savannah Palmatier. 

HITS: NIC — Hanchey 2, Brockman, Drake 2, Parry, Roberts 3, Hearrell 2, McClaran 2. SLCC — Reynen 2, Painter 4, Palmatier 2, Prathan 2, Medina 2, Harker, Schneider, Barlow. 2B — Drake, Painter 2, Palmatier. 3B — Prathan. HR — Brockman, Drake, Roberts 2, McClaran, Prathan.