College softball: Walla Walla snaps North Idaho’s 15-game winning streak with sweep

North Idaho’s 15-game winning streak came to a close Friday as host Walla Walla swept the Cardinals 14-8, 6-5 in Northwest Athletic Conference softball play.

NIC (33-11, 26-6), which has clinched the East Region title, led the opener 7-2 before the second-place Warriors (26-18, 22-8) struck for eight runs in the fifth. Walla Walla scored six runs after two outs, highlighted by Ashley Hicks’ bases-clearing double.

Jacie McDaniels went 2 for 4 with one run and one RBI for the Warriors in the second game. NIC’s Lexi Courtney and Jamie Yurick (Lake City) homered.

The Cardinals completed their regular season and will play at the NWAC Championships in Portland, starting Friday.

Washington 5, Stanford 2: Casey Stangel (Lake City High) finished 4 for 4 with two runs and one RBI to guide the 13th-ranked Huskies (35-13, 15-8 Pac-12) past the Cardinal (13-34, 0-23) at Smith Family Stadium in Stanford, California.

Hailey Bator (1-0) allowed one hit and no earned runs in four innings, striking out six and walking none. The Cardinal reached relief pitcher Stangel for three hits and two earned runs in three innings.

Stangel doubled twice, giving her 10 on the season. UW’s Julia DePonte opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the second, her seventh on the season.

The Huskies trail Oregon and UCLA in the conference standings.