Three mercy-rule-shortened games against seventh-ranked College of Southern Nevada didn’t demoralize the Western Nevada College softball team on Saturday in Henderson.
Freshman pitcher Katilyn Covione blanked the Coyotes for four innings, and the Wildcats had the tying and possible winning runs in scoring positions in the final inning before CSN nailed down a 3-2 Scenic West Athletic Conference victory.
The Coyotes started their Saturday sweep with a five-inning 11-2 victory.
But game two was in doubt until the final pitch. CSN’s Ariel Frantz broke up a scoreless duel with a two-run homer in the fifth inning.
However, the Wildcats fought back in the top of the sixth against Megan Mello. Meghan Hospodka singled to right and advanced to third on Heather Septon’s one-out double. Lindsey Ashbaugh broke up the Coyote shutout with a single to left, plating Hospodka. Septon, however, was thrown out at the plate, trying to score on a Cara McCarthy fly out to center.
A two-out RBI triple by Aimee Alpa in the bottom of the sixth gave the Coyotes some breathing room at 3-1.
But the Wildcats clawed back in their last at-bat. With one out, Katelyn Bomar and Madi Gonzalez singled to center field, setting up a Makenzie Hospodka RBI double to center, trimming the Coyote lead to 3-2. But Mello prevented the Wildcats from tying the score or taking the lead by retiring Meghan Hospodka on a popup to second base and Jenny Rechel on a fly out to center.
Gonzalez and Bomar each provided two hits for the Wildcats, who outhit CSN, 8-6.
Just because the Coyotes put a player down in their batting order doesn’t mean she’s a liability at the plate.
Sarina Creswell proved that in the first game of the doubleheader. Hitting in the No. 7 spot, Creswell was 3 for 3 with five RBI for the Coyotes in an 11-2 victory over the Wildcats.
Creswell lined a run-scoring single during a three-run first inning and a three-run homer during a game-changing, five-run third inning. In the top of the frame, WNC closed to within 3-2 on a Gonzalez RBI double and a Makenzie Hospodka sacrifice fly.
Creswell completed her perfect game at the plate with a run-scoring single in the fourth as the Coyotes scored three times to go ahead 11-2.
Other than the third inning, Aly Lamboo kept the Wildcats’ bats silent. Lamboo allowed four hits and one earned run.
Covione pitched for WNC, giving up 12 hits and seven earned runs in four innings.
Gonzalez continued her hot hitting, going 2 for 2 with a run and RBI. The Wildcats other two hits were provided by Meghan Hospodka and Septon.
The SWAC-leading Coyotes improved to 18-6. WNC, which saw its SWAC record slip to 6-17, begins the second half of conference play on Friday at College of Southern Idaho. The Wildcats are 9-23 overall.