NWAC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: NIC keeps rolling into quarterfinal round

PORTLAND — So far, still good for top-seeded North Idaho College.

NIC, behind Thursday wins over Grays Harbor (9-1 in 5 innings) and Clackamas (12-3 in 5 innings), advanced to the quarterfinals of the Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament at Delta Park.

NIC (42-2) will face fourth-seeded Lower Columbia (40-11) today at 12:30 p.m. With a win, NIC — on a 36-game win streak — will advance to the semifinals on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Against Grays Harbor, sophomore Hayden Rockwell hit a two-run home run and Kani Korok followed with a solo shot in the third for the Cardinals. Rockwell finished with four RBIs and sophomore Kennedy Hobson had four strikeouts for NIC.

Freshman Kristine Schmidt of Coeur d'Alene struck out nine in five innings in the Cardinals 12-3 win over eighth-seeded Clackamas to advance to the quarterfinal round.

Freshman Corine Duran hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning to give NIC a 3-0 lead. The Cardinals scored nine runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull away.

The Cards will play No. 4 Lower Columbia (40-11) Friday, May 17 on Field 5, at 12:30 p.m.

NORTH IDAHO 9, GRAYS HARBOR 1, 5 INN.

Grays Harbor    001    00    —    1    5    1

North Idaho    060    12    —    9    12    0

Game called with 1 out in bottom of fifth inning due to 8-run rule.

Ronni Graham, Carron Blood (2) and Madison Erickson; Kennedy Hobson and Corine Doran.

HITS: GHC — Wiseman 2, Cudaback, Doucette, Blood. NIC — Hobson 3, Rockwell 2, Korok 2, Doran, Schulhauser 2, Kostoff 2. 2B — Blood, Korok. HR — Wiseman, Rockwell, Korok.

NORTH IDAHO 12, CLACKAMAS 3, 5 INN.

Clackamas    000    03    —    3    5    4

North Idaho    201    9x    —    12    11    1

Analisa Zamora, Noel Julison (3), Grace Athanas (4) and Sophia Reyes; Kristine Schmidt and Corine Doran.

HITS: Clack — Groesbeck, Almanza, Loftus, Ellerton, Motley. NIC — Hobson, Korok 2, Doran, Vieira, Schulhauser, Nichols, Makinster 2, Kostoff 2. 2B — Loftus, Kostoff. HR — Doran.

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