Cardinals close out unbeaten NWAC slate; conference tournament up next

YAKIMA, Wash. — North Idaho College has been on a mission all this softball season.

Its final destination is just around the corner.

Sophomore Hayden Rockwell homered twice in the first game, including a three-run home run in the sixth inning as the Cardinals beat the Yakima Valley Yaks 10-1 in a Northwest Athletic Conference game on Saturday.

Later, sophomore Kani Korok drove in four runs as the Cardinals won the second game 8-4, the team's 34th straight win to cap the regular season.

NIC (40-2, 28-0), the top-ranked team in the latest NWAC Coaches Poll, will be the top seed to the NWAC Championships starting on Thursday at Delta Park in Portland. The Cardinals will open at 1 p.m. against the 16th seed.

"I'm just really proud of them," said NIC coach Shay Chapman, who has been head coach for the past five seasons and with the program for 11 years. "To be 28-0, we've never had a team that's done that in all the time I've been here. To have a 34-game win streak, I'm almost speechless. This team has grit, and I can't wait to get to Portland."

Kristine Schmidt, a freshman from Coeur d'Alene High, allowed four hits and struck out six in the first game for NIC.

Korok hit a two-run home run in the first inning of the second game, then followed with a solo shot in the fourth.

"Kani's a tough out and moved runners when we needed them," Chapman said. "She's having a really good season for us."

Yakima Valley finished 10-32, 6-22.

FIRST GAME

North Idaho    320    014    —    10    12    2

Yakima Valley    000    001    —    1    4    0

Game called after 6 innings due to 8-run rule.

Kristine Schmidt and Summer Makinster; Claire DeVries and Avery Olauson.

HITS: NIC — Hobson 3, Rockwell 2, Korok, Doran, Nichols 2, Makinster, Kostoff 2. YVCC — Sosky, Kennedy, Butler, Olauson. 2B — Hobson, Doran, Makinster, Kennedy. HR — Rockwell.

SECOND GAME 

North Idaho    220    130    0    —    8    16    0

Yakima Valley    100    000    3    —    4    12    2

Jaylyn Christensen and Corine Doran; Glory Estabrook and Avery Olauson.

HITS: NIC — Hobson 3, Rockwell 2, Korok 3, Nichols 3, Schulhauser 2, Pfeifer 2, Kostoff. YVCC — Sosky 2, Estabrook 2, Kennedy 2, Stamp, DeVries 2, Olauson 2, Morrison. 2B — Estabrook. 3B — Sosky. HR — Rockwell, Korok 2, Kostoff.

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