HENDERSON, Nev. - The 19th-ranked College of Southern Idaho Softball put together one of its best opening weekends in program history, going 4-1 at the College of Southern Nevada Tournament. The Golden Eagles fell to 3rd-ranked Phoenix College before beating 16th-ranked Yavapai College 5-1 Saturday to close out the tournament.
The Golden Eagles spotted Phoenix a 9-1 lead before battling back. CSI added two runs in the second on a 2-run homer by Carley Croshaw and two runs in the third on a two-run homer by Kylie Baumert. That's when Phoenix College brought in the NJCAA Division 2 2019 Pitcher of the Year to try and slow the Eagles. The Bears added a run in the fifth, sixth and seventh and led 12-5 going into the bottom of the 7th. Emma Wilson started off the inning getting on by a hit by pitch. Kaeley Loader then got on with a pinch hit walk before Nikki Zielinski plated a run on a single. Baumert followed it with her second home run of the game to pull CSI within 12-9. Kalena Shepherd pounded a home run right after to pull within one but that would be as close as CSI would get.
Baumert finished the game 3-for-4 with five RBI. Zielinski was 2-for-3 and Shepherd and Croshaw were 1-for-4. That accounted for all of CSI's hits.
Game two was all CSI. Mailee Jensen had a great game in the circle, going seven innings and giving up just one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts. At the plate, Baumert went 2-for-4 with a home run and RBI and Miranda Page, Zielinski, Shepherd, Hammond, Croshaw and Maya Williams each added a hit. Zielinski and Croshaw hit home runs.
CSI travels to Dothan, Ala. next week to take on the top two teams in the country.