NIC SOFTBALL: Cardinals claim East Region as sophomores cap 26-0 run on home field
COEUR d’ALENE — North Idaho College has an opportunity to do something special this season.
On Saturday, the Cardinal sophomores did a little something to remember their final moments on Memorial Field.
NIC, the top-ranked team in this week’s Northwest Athletic Conference Coaches Poll, closed out the home part of its schedule with a 9-0 and 8-0 sweep of Walla Walla in NWAC play, finishing the season 10-0 at Memorial this season, and 26-0 the last two seasons.
“We’ve never had a team that’s done that and it really says a lot about this group,” said NIC coach Shay Chapman, whose team has won 30 straight games. “And not just the sophomores, but each of them. They’ve set some goals at the start of the season, and they’re not letting anything get in the way of that. This streak we’re on; it’s sending a statement for sure.”
NIC (36-2, 24-0 NWAC) also clinched the East Region title in its final season before moving back to the NJCAA’s Scenic West Athletic Conference next spring. The Cardinals, seeking their first conference title since 2019, will compete in the NWAC Championships May 16-19 at Delta Park in Portland. The top 16 teams in the conference advance, with seeding determined by RPI rankings. Currently, NIC is the top-ranked team in the conference.
In the opener, sophomore Kennedy Hobson homered — her 29th of the season — leading off the bottom of the first inning, breaking the school record of Madi Mott set in 2019 for NIC. Sophomores Hayden Rockwell and Kani Korok also had two RBIs each for NIC in a four-run bottom of the fourth inning.
"She's been on a incredible run at the plate," Chapman said of Hobson, from Coto De Caza, Calif. "We've still got some games remaining, and I'm really excited to see what kind of numbers she can put up."
Kristine Schmidt, a freshman from Coeur d’Alene High, allowed two hits in the opener, striking out four for NIC.
Korok also had a two-run double in the third inning and a two-run home run in the fifth inning of the second game.
NIC travels to Wenatchee Valley on Friday for a doubleheader, then concludes the regular season at Yakima Valley in a twinbill next Saturday.
Walla Walla is 17-22, 8-16.
FIRST GAME
Walla Walla 000 00 — 0 2 3
North Idaho 101 7x — 9 10 2
Game called in 5th inning due to 8-run rule.
Lauren Perryman and Juliana Bernibos; Kristine Schmidt and Cori Doran.
HITS: WWCC — Robinson, Hashimoto. NIC — Hobson 2, Rockwell 2, Korok, Doran 2, Schulhauser, Nichols, Makinster. 2B — Rockwell, Doran. HR — Hobson, Korok, Nichols.
SECOND GAME
Walla Walla 000 00 — 0 6 3
North Idaho 012 05 — 8 9 0
Regan McDaniel and Juliana Bernibois; Kennedy Hobson and Cori Doran.
HITS: WWCC — Robinson, Hashimoto, Giddings, Berinobis 2, Gonzalez. NIC — Hobson, Korok, Doran, Schulhauser, Makinster 2, Kostoff 2. 2B — Hashimoto. 3B — Kostoff.