IRVINE, Calif. – On the heels of a solid showing in the Concordia Kickoff Classic, the Golden Eagles swept their home doubleheader against nationally-ranked Northwest Nazarene on Tuesday.
Newcomers
Kayla Rodgers and
Kaliya Yco both smacked their first career home runs in a CUI uniform and the pitching staff quieted a usually loud NNU offense to help Concordia improve to 6-1 overall.
Game 1 - CUI 4, No. 18 NNU 0
Jayden Nishi pitched the first complete game of her career to help the Golden Eagles blank the Nighthawks in the matinee of the day. She scattered five hits and did not walk a single batter on her way to getting all 21 outs. Nishi improved to 3-0 by pitching seven shutout innings.
Kayla Rodgers provided all the offense CUI would need by smashing a homer in the bottom of the first inning. She would finish with two hits, a steal and two runs scored. Nishi and Rodgers were both recently named to the All-Tournament Team after
CUI went 4-1 this past weekend at the Concordia Kickoff Classic.
Audrey Robles knocked in an insurance run to help CUI put up a 3-spot in the fifth frame. Her RBI single made it 3-0 and Yco added a sacrifice fly after that to score
Caitlynn Campbell.
Riley Bigley also collected her first two career hits and
Maddie Cortez also added her first single as a Golden Eagle.
Game 2 – CUI 4, No. 18 NNU 1
There were quite a few firsts on this Tuesday.
Kira Morris secured her first victory as she went five strong innings and only allowed one unearned run on four hits. She struck out four and only walked two batters.
Alyssa Struthers also had a breakout game with a two-run single with the bases loaded in the second inning.
After the Nighthawks got on the board, Yco crushed her first homer in the fifth to provide some extra breathing room.
Northwest Nazerene was pesky in the final inning and after
Kacie Gossett got the first out, freshman
Kailey Estes locked down her first career save by coercing a fly out and getting a strikeout swinging to put a bow on this one.
Next up for CUI is a home date Wednesday morning with Western Oregon. The doubleheader begins at 11:00 am PT weather permitting.
CLICK HERE for the full CUI softball schedule
