Feb. 13, 2010
Box Score
Printable Box Score: Tulsa 8, Idaho State 0 
Printable Box Score: Utah State 9, Idaho State 0 (5 innings)
Printable Box Score: Utah 5, Idaho State 3
Printable Box Score: Utah Valley 10, Idaho State 4
St. George, UT --- Idaho State got a three-run home run from Jennifer Martensen in the day's opener against Utah, but it wasn't enough as the Bengals dropped a 5-3 decision to the University of Utah. In the final game of the tournament, ISU allowed six runs in the fourth inning, four unearned, as Utah Valley knocked down ISU 10-4, ISU's fourth straight loss after opening the season with a win over Maine.
Idaho State lost both of their games on Friday, losing 8-0 to Tulsa in a game that ISU got just one hit, and then 9-0 to Utah State in five innings as ISU allowed all nine in the first inning.
Against Utah, ISU got off to a slow start as Kandis Clesson allowed single runs in the first two innings and the two in the third as ISU found themselves down 4-0 after two and a half. In the fifth inning however, ISU clawed back into the game as Desirae Hoffman, who is now batting .600 for the season, singled and stole second, but she was gunned down going to third. With two outs Megan Miller singled and Jessica Baca reached on catcher's interference. Martensen then hit ISU's first home run of the year, a three-run shot to make it 4-3. Utah got one of those back in the sixth without the benefit of a hit in the inning.
Tia Palauni walked and stole second, and she eventually stole third with two outs and scored on a throwing error.
The Bengals had a chance in the bottom of the seventh when Hoffman singled to start the inning, but Emily Hu and Miller both struck out, and Baca grounded to short to end the game.
In the final game, Nora Maschue started in the circle, and was greeted rudely by Utah Valley, as the Wolverine's scored three in the inning, the big blows coming from doubles by Charlie Cisneron and Amanda Perez. Both teams added runs in the second, and then the wheels fell off for ISU in the sixth, an inning that saw six runs score with four being unearned as UVU took advantage of two errors and some wildness as they had just three hits in the inning.
Idaho State, down 10-1 at that point, tried to rally in the fifth, and things looked good when they had as ISU loaded the bases with one out when Courtney Darby reached on an error and ISU then got one-out singles from Hoffman and Hu. However, in one of those things you don't see every day, Megan Miller proceeded to double into a double play. She laced a double through the right side to plate Darby and Hoffman, but Hu was thrown out at the plate, and Miller was then thrown out trying to get to third.
ISU added a run in the seventh to close the scoring when Baca singled to center, plating Hoffman.
The loss was the fourth in row for ISU, who entered the Red Desert Classic having never won a game there in the first three years they participated, but they beat Maine 6-5 to open the season. ISU lost in a one-hitter to Tulsa on Friday morning, a game in which Nora Maschue and Tulsa's Kaylnn Schrock each had no-hitters through four innings. However, Maschue allowed three in the fifth and a grand slam in the seventh, and ISU managed a single by Miller in the game. In the second game on Friday, Kandis Clesson allowed nine earned run in the first inning on just five hits with four walks before Maschue came in an pitched 3.1 innings of hitless relief.
Overall, Miller hit safely in all five games and is batting .421, and the rookie Hoffman is batting .600 after going 9-for-15. In the circle ISU has been hurt by wildness, as Clesson and Maschue have allowed 30 walks, four hit batters, and three wild pitches in just 31.0 innings.
Idaho State has two weeks off before traveling to Caldwell to take on the College of Idaho in a double header on February 27.
NOTES: Idaho State is now 1-17 all-time in the Red Desert Classic ... ISU and Utah Valley are both members of the Mountain Division of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, but the game wasn't a conference game.
