SPOKANE, Wash. - NFCA All-American Madi Mott tossed a three-hitter and freshman shortstop Sarah Williams hit two home runs as North Idaho College defeated Edmonds 9-1 to claim its second straight NWAC title at the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex.
Mott, the tourney MVP for the second straight year, went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs for the Cardinals (38-9-1). Jori Kerr went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored, and leadoff batter Ashlyn Winn finished 2-for-3 and scored twice as fourth-seeded NIC piled up 16 hits and scored in every inning against the third-seeded Tritons (41-10).
NIC started early against Edmonds, which had beaten Douglas (37-12) 10-9 in the third-place game earlier Monday. Kerr singled, stole second and scored on Mott’s single in the top of the first. Williams smacked her first homer in the second to trigger a four-run inning. Kerr, Mott and Devinne Amesquita followed with back-to-back-to-back RBI singles for a 5-0 lead.
Williams led off the third with what was ruled a home run to right center field, a drive Edmonds thought should have been a ground-rule double as the center fielder knocked the fence over as the ball was landing.
Emma Profili’s RBI single made it 7-0 in the fourth.
Edmonds, third last year, got a run back on Kamalei Labasan’s bunt single past the pitcher, which scored NFCA All-American Prestyne Kaimi-Montira from third. But Mott, who finished with seven strikeouts, fanned the next two hitters to get out of the jam.
Winn launched a home run over the left field fence to lead off the fifth. Kerr followed with a single, and scored on NFCA All-American Bailey Cavanagh’s double to left center to make it 9-1.
All-Tournament Team
MVP -Madi Mott, North Idaho
Jori Kerr, North Idaho
Bailey Cavenaugh, North Idaho
Sarah Williams, North Idaho
Devinne Amesquita, North Idaho
Kayla Hensley, Edmonds
Rhilmina Sagapolutele, Edmonds
Shanelle Lum, Edmonds
Cecilia Robbins, Edmonds
Jessica Podskalny, Douglas
Janessa Hanson, Douglas
Kasey Wright, Douglas
Abby Giles, Walla Walla
Ashton Buffo, Walla Walla
-- Information courtesy of MARK NELKE Sports editor, Coeur D'Alene/Post Falls Press
