College of Idaho Defeats Bearcats Twice with a Pair of Run-Rule Wins

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110

CALDWELL, Idaho -- College of Idaho defeated Willamette University 12-1 and 16-3 in a pair of run-rule victories on Saturday, Feb. 17 at Symms Field. Both games ended after 4 1/2 innings. The Lady Yotes improved to 8-2 on the season. Willamette, which was playing for the first time this year, fell to 0-2. The teams will conclude the weekend series with one game on Sunday, Feb. 18, starting at 12 p.m. MST/11 a.m. PST.

Willamette scored first in the opening game. With one out in the first inning, Bailey Hillmick (Fr., P/2B, Athena, OR/Weston-McEwen HS) walked and then went to second on an illegal pitch. She moved to third on a single by Jocelyn Glasgo (So., P/OF, Rochester, WA/Tumwater HS). Hillmick scored on a wild pitch.

The Lady Yotes responded with four runs in the bottom of the first for a 4-1 lead. Jordan Maddox drove in the first three runs with a homer to left field. Lacie Miller added an RBI double to center field.

College of Idaho plated three runs in the second inning and tacked on five runs in the third. The Lady Yotes gave up a pinch-hit single by Reanna Lancaster (So., P, Los Altos, CA/Mountain View HS) of Willamette in the top of the fifth inning, before pitcher Colette Robert forced a 6-3 double play to end the game on the run rule.

Lancaster, Glasgo and Emily Bishop (Jr., OF, Maple Valley, WA/Tahoma HS/Pierce College) each registered one hit for the Bearcats. Kylie Smith went 3 of 3 at the plate for College of Idaho with a single, a double , a triple and four RBIs. Maddox fiinished the game 2 of 3 with a run and four RBIs.

In the second game, the Lady Yotes scored 11 runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a big early lead. The inning included two home runs by Marissa Maddox, who went 2 of 3 with two runs and four RBIs during the game. Six of the runs during the second inning were unearned.

Willamette plated three runs in the top of the fourth. Vanessa Almaraz (So., OF, Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley HS) walked and Vanessa Almaraz (Fr., OF, Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley HS) doubled to start the stanza. Magnani scored one out later on a wild pitch, while Almaraz moved to third. Katie Schmitt (Fr., SS, El Dorado Hills, CA/Oak Ridge HS) followed with a walk. Almaraz and Schmitt each scored an unearned run later in the inning.

The Lady Yotes scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth, including four runs on a grand slam homer by Martha Tooley. The Bearcats had two base runners in the top of the fifth, as Hillmick was hit by a pitch with no outs, and Sofia Magnani (Fr., P, Belmont, CA/Notre Dame HS) walked with one out. A 5-3 double play ended the game on he run rule.

Willamette was limited to two hits, both doubles, in the second game. The hits were earned by Glasco and Almaraz.