HENDERSON, Nev. - The 10th-ranked College of Southern Idaho Softball Team came out of the gate slow to open the 2023 season, falling to 19th-ranked Eastern Arizona but got the bats going in game two, beating Chandler Gilbert 11-2.
The Golden Eagle pitchers shined all day, finishing with a combined ERA of 2.33 for the day and 20 strikeouts in 12 innings of work.
Brooke Merrill earned the loss in game one but gave up just two earned runs with 10 strikeouts. CSI finished the game with only two hits. One by Gracie Tentinger and one by Brylee Bigelow. Bigelow's was a double.
Game two was all CSI. Tentinger finished with two home runs and four RBI. Rachael Brown had a home run and Tessa Hokanson had the other home run. Hokanson also had a double and four RBI.
Taya Manzanares was 2-for-3 and Reagan Rex finished 1-for-1.
In the circle, Markessa Jensen claimed the win, going two innings and giving up two earned runs with four strikeouts. Kenzie Evans finished the game for the save, pitching three innings and giving up no runs on one hit with six strikeouts.
The Golden Eagles take on Pima at 8 a.m. PST Saturday followed by Glendale at 10:30 a.m. PST.