Mt. Hood Defeats North Idaho 8-5 to Claim 7th NWAC Softball Title

PORTLAND, Ore. - The No. 2 Mt. Hood Saints won their seventh NWAC title in program history, defeating No. 1 North Idaho 8-5 at the 2024 NWAC Softball Championship on Sunday at Delta Park.

The Saints (46-4) went undefeated during tournament play, outscoring their opponents 30-11 in five games. The championship is the seventh all-time for the Saints and the second in the past three seasons. All seven titles have come since 2009, when then head coach and now NWAC Hall of Famer Meadow McWhorter won five from 2009-16. Now with head coach Brittany Hendrickson at the helm, the Saints have won the championship in 2022 and 2024.

Much like the first matchup between the Saints and Cardinals on Saturday, round two between the NWAC's top teams was another exciting battle from start to finish. The Saints had the decisive blow in the bottom of the sixth inning as Madison Walker hit a three-run home run to break a 5-5 tie. In the top of the seventh, the Cardinals were able to load the bases and bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but South Region Pitcher of the Year Bella Carazo was able to hold the Cardinals (44-4) scoreless. Carazo threw three shut out innings for the Saints to earn the win after entering the game down 5-4.

Walker had a big game offensively for the Saints as she went 4-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Her home run was the third of the game for MHCC who had a three-run home run by Jasmine Barela in the bottom of the first, followed by a solo homer by Peyton Foreman just one batter later. The first inning as a whole had lots of fireworks as the Cardinals jumped out to a 3-0 lead after Kaylee Vieira's two run home run. Mt. Hoood answered back with a four-spot in the bottom of the first.

NIC jumped back ahead by a run 5-4 in the top of the fourth as Karli Kostoff drove in a pair with a two-out single. The Saints later tied the game at 5-5 as Foreman had her second RBI, a single to bring home Walker. 

Sara Martin made the start for the Saints, allowing five runs with four earned over four innings. Kristine Schmidt started the game for the Cardinals, allowing five runs over five innings. 

Mt. Hood's Ava Carroll was named Tournament MVP. Carroll went 1-for-4 with a run scored in the championship game, but also made numerous grade A defensive plays in centerfield, including robbing a potential three-run home run in the top of the fourth. Overall for the tournament, Carroll led the team going 11-for-19 at the plate with a home ru, four RBI, four runs scored, two doubles and a stolen base.

NWAC All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player: Ava Carroll, Mt. Hood
Jasmine Barela, Mt. Hood
Bella Carazo, Mt. Hood
Sara Martin, Mt. Hood
Madison Walker, Mt. Hood
Cori Doran, North Idaho
Kani Korok, North Idaho
Hayden Rockwell, North Idaho
Kristine Schmidt, North Idaho
Lexi Grumbois, Lower Columbia
Raychel Squibb, Lower Columbia
Sawyer Stenson, Lower Columbia
Alix Bishop, Wenatchee Valley
Kaya Enriquez, Wenatchee Valley

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