SALT LAKE CITY - The College of Southern Idaho Softball team battled through a 4-2 win over a Snow and a 7-1 win over Salt Lake to force a final and decisive Region 18 Championship final Friday. The Golden Eagles came up just short of their comeback, falling to the Bruins 2-1.
CSI took the 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Nicole Renner singled and advanced to third on an error. Katie Basinger singled Renner in for the Eagles lone run of the game. Salt Lake started the bottom of the fourth with two singles before Samantha Riesen forced a fly out to center. The next Salt Lake hitter took first on an error before a fielder's choice ground out scored a Bruin run. Salt Lake would score one more run on a wild pitch before Riesen got the final out on a ground ball to pitcher. Those two unearned run proved costly as the Golden Eagles were unable to plate another run.
In the first championship game against Salt Lake, both teams battled through five innings in a pitchers duel between CSI's Samantha Riesen/Kylie Jones and Salt Lake's Addie Jensen. Riesen threw the first two innings and then Jones went three innings. The Golden Eagles went scoreless in the top of the sixth and switch pitchers in the bottom of the seventh to Stefanie Zimmerman. The freshman gave up a hit by pitch followed by a walk and Riesen re-entered the game in the circle. She was able to limit the damage to one run and give CSI a chance on the seventh.
As was the case in the earlier game, freshmen Melanie Groenewegen and Nicole Renner provided the offensive spark to get the rally going. Each hit a single to put two on and no out. Katie Basinger loaded the bases on a fielder's choice before freshman Mikelle Magalogo belted bases-clearing double to give CSI all the runs they would need. The Golden Eagles tacked on four more runs for breathing room and Riesen shut the door in the bottom of the seventh.
Riesen earned the win, giving up just four hits and no runs in four innings pitched. Kylie Jones threw three innings of scoreless, one-hit ball sandwiched between Riesen's four innings.
Magalogo finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate. Jaici Bishop was 1-for-2 with a walk and Madi Ford was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
In the morning do-or-die game against Snow, the Golden Eagles relied heavily on on Melanie Groenewegen, Nicole Renner and Samantha Riesen to get the win and advance to the championship game. Riesen pitched a gem, giving up just one earned run with three strikeouts in the win. At the plate, Renner and Groenewegen combined for six of CSI's seven hits. The other lone hit came from sophomore Madi Ford. Renner finished the game 3-for-3 with two doubles and a home run and 3 RBI, while Groenewegen was also 3-for-3.
Groenewegen, Renner and Ford all were named to the all-tournament team.
The Golden Eagles finish their season with a 42-19 overall record.