Cards mount furious comeback, beat Spokane in home opener

NIC softball rallied from down by as much as 10 runs to topple Spokane 25-15 in the first game of the season Tuesday afternoon.

Jadyn Raley-Jones allowed just two runs in five and two-thirds innings.

The Cards fell behind early as Spokane jumped out to a 9 run lead in the top of the first inning. The Cards were able to answer with three runs in the bottom of the first, but Spokane piled on four more runs to lead 13-3.

NIC chipped away at the Sasquatch lead and still found themselves down 15-8 entering the bottom of the fifth, but an offensive explosion, thanks in large part to a three-run homer by Taryn Vanderwiel, gave the Cards eight runs and a 16-15 lead.

Spokane failed to notch another run off of Jadyn Raley-Jones, who allowed just two runs after relieving Amanda Curry with one out in the second inning. NIC, on the other hand, piled on nine insurance runs in the sixth to cruise to their 25-15 victory.

Taryn Vanderwiel throws out a Spokane runner at first in NIC’s 25-15 victory over Spokane. The game took place at Memorial Field in Coeur d’Alene after NIC played their last few seasons at Post Falls highschool because of renovations at Memorial Field.

NIC softball’s last game came on March 10, 2020, when the Cardinals beat Miles Community College twice in a doubleheader before their season was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans attended the game at the newly renovated Memorial Field while using masks when social distancing wasn’t possible.

Up next for the Cards is a game against Humboldt State University  Thursday, April 1, at 2 p.m. and Friday, April 2, at 2 p.m. at Memorial Field.