TWIN FALLS, Idaho - College of Southern Idaho Softball's
Gracie Tentinger hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning Friday to beat Salt Lake CC 4-3 and send the Golden Eagles into the championship game on Saturday.
The body of work by the whole team until that point is a huge reason CSI beat the Bruins for sixth time this season.
CSI trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, both
Caitlin Turner and
Olivia Taylor reached on errors to set up a two-rbi hit by
Kylie Baumert to take the 2-1 lead.
Salt Lake tied the game up in the sixth on a solo home run.
The Bruins took the lead in the top of seventh before CSI tied it up in the bottom half to set up Tentinger's heroics.
With one out,
Maizie Clark singled to center. Turner laid down a bunt single and Taylor walked. Baumert added her third RBI of the game when Salt Lake tried to get the out at home and everyone was safe. The Golden Eagles were unable to push anymore across but stayed alive.
The Bruins got one runner on base in the top of the eighth but
Jessica Touchard shut the door in the circle.
Touchard earned the win, going the final 1.1 innings and giving up no runs on no hits with one strikeout.
Brooke Merrill threw the first 6.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
Saige Nielsen was 2-for-3 at the plate and Taylor was 1-for-2 with two walks.
CSI, now 46-11 overall will take on the winner Saturday at 1:30 p.m. of the third-place game.
