Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State softball team split the opening day of a four-game series against Portland State, last year's Pacific Coast Softball champions, losing 1-0 and winning game 2, 3-2 in nine innings. The win broke a 12-game losing streak against Portland State. Prior to Friday the last time Idaho State beat Portland State was on April 15, 1983.
The Bengals got solid pitching from
Amanda Fitzsimmons,
Kelsi Ott and
Haley Douglas in the two games and Fitzsimmons led ISU offensively as she was 4-for-7 in the two games with two doubles.
Gabby Lopez was the only other Bengal with multiple hits with two.
Fitzsimmons took the loss and win on Friday. To earn the win she pitched the final two innings, striking out three and allowing no hits. In the 1-0 loss she scattered six hits, struck out five while walking only two and allowing no earned runs.
“I am so proud of this team,” Idaho State coach
Julie Wright said. “The effort in game two was tremendous. We clutched up when we needed it. Amanda continues to play awesome on both sides of the ball.
Courtney Darby was huge on defense and I was very pleased with Kelsi's innings. She pitched great.”
Ott pitched four innings and allowed three hits, one run while striking out three. Douglass tossed the next three and allowed three hits, one run and struck out two.
In the victory, Idaho State jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning. With one out, Lopez was hit by a pitch and after advancing to second on a passed ball she would later score on a Viking mistake in the field after a Fitzsimmons hit.
Vicky Galasso then drove home Fitzsimmons on a sacrifice RBI.
Portland State scored a run in the fifth and ain the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at two. Idaho State scored the go-ahead and winning run in the ninth with two outs. The offense started with a walk by
Courtney Darby and Becky Simonsen reached base on a PSU error. Lopez then singled home Darby for the run.
In the first game, ISU's had only three hits, coming from Galasso, Simonsen and Fitzsimmons. Portland State scored its only run of the game by taking advantage of a Idaho State miscue in the field.
The four-game series concludes tomorrow with the doubleheader starting at 12 and 2 p.m.
