Spokane Softball Splits Wild Doubleheader with North Idaho
Spokane stormed back for a dramatic Game 1 walk-off before North Idaho answered in Game 2 to earn a split Friday afternoon.
Game 1: Spokane 11, North Idaho 10
Spokane erased a four-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh, plating five runs to walk off North Idaho 11-10 in a back-and-forth opener.
North Idaho jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, capitalizing on defensive miscues, but Spokane responded in the third. After a pair of runs cut the deficit to 5-3, Addyson Stewart delivered a key two-run double and later came around to score as Spokane pushed across five runs in the inning to take a 6-5 lead.
The seesaw battle continued as North Idaho tied it in the fourth and surged ahead late. A two-run sixth and two more in the seventh gave the visitors a 10-6 advantage heading into Spokane's final at-bat.
That's when the Sasquatch offense delivered.
An error brought home the first run of the inning, and Spokane loaded the bases to apply pressure. A walk to Lilley Triplett forced in a run, and a sacrifice fly by Emma Oergel made it a one-run game. Moments later, Triplett swiped second, and the throw allowed the tying run to score. The winning run crossed on a North Idaho error following a single by Skyler Struck, sealing the comeback victory.
Cadence Hyndman led Spokane with three hits and an RBI, while Samantha Rensvold added two hits and scored twice. Addyson Stewartdrove in two runs in the pivotal third inning.
In the circle, Rensvold went six innings, allowing five earned runs while striking out four, and Kynlea Toner shut the door in the seventh to earn the win.
Game 2: North Idaho 11, Spokane 7
Spokane struck first in the nightcap, but North Idaho used a pair of big middle innings to pull away for an 11-7 win.
The Sasquatch came out swinging in the first. Stewart launched a three-run home run to cap a four-run frame, giving Spokane early momentum and a 4-0 lead.
North Idaho chipped away with two runs in the second and then flipped the game in the fifth. A four-run inning, highlighted by timely hits from Drake and Roberts, turned a one-run deficit into a 6-5 advantage.
The visitors added four more in the sixth, taking advantage of walks and defensive miscues to extend the lead to 10-5. Spokane attempted to rally late, with Hyndman tripling home a run in the seventh and Triplett adding an RBI single, but the comeback fell short.
Spokane out hit North Idaho 13-12 in the loss. Emma Cooke collected three hits, while Hyndman and Triplett each had multi-hit games. Stewart finished with three RBIs on her first-inning homer.
Standout Performers
A. Stewart: HR, 5 RBIs on the day
C. Hyndman: 5 hits, triple, multiple RBIs
E. Cooke: 4 hits in Game 2
S. Rensvold: 4 hits across two games, six innings pitched in Game 1
