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POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State softball team rallied with three runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Fresno State 6-5 in its first game of the day at the Santa Clara Classic on Sunday morning and then lost 4-3 to host school Santa Clara to end the Santa Clara Classic with a 2-2 mark on the weekend. Idaho State is now 6-8 on the season.
The Bengal offense pounded out 19 hits in the two games, led by
Maddy Hickman going 4-6 with one run and
Katelyn Marquez going 4-8 with a double, RBI and one run scored.
Vicky Galasso was 3-5 with two runs and an RBI and
Terah Blackwell had three hits and two RBI.
Hailey Breakwell and
Becky Molyneaux each had two hits and
Gabby Lopez had one.
Bailey Foster went 1-1 on the day, tossing 8.2 innings, scattering 10 hits, striking out four and walking three.
Kelsi Ott made her first appearance in the circle, starting against Fresno State. She went 4.1 innings, allowed six hits and struck out four.
Idaho State 6 Fresno State 5
The Bengals had nine hits, led by Hickman and Blackwell's two hits. Seven different Bengals had hits in the win.
“Fresno was another thriller for us,” Idaho State coach
Julie Wright said. “We just stuck with it and when we got an opening, we capitalized. It was incredible to get Kelsi back. She threw very well and I expect her to continue to get more comfortable with every outing.”
The biggest hits of the game came with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning and the bases loaded. The inning started with Hickman and Blackwell reaching base on singles and then with two outs
Micheala Taylor reached base on an error by the Fresno State defense to keep inning alive. Lopez then stepped to the plate as pinch hitter and smacked a two RBI double down the left field line to tie the game and Marquez followed with a double to left field for the winning run. Marquez also came up with a diving catch in center field in the seventh inning to help preserve the win.
“Katelyn continues to impress in center field,” Wright said. “She made an incredible diving catch in the seventh to help get the win. This rookie is growing by leaps and bounds.”
Foster earned the win by pitching the final 2.2 innings and allowing only two hits and striking out one. Ott pitched the first 4.1 innings and allowed six hits, four runs and struck out four.
Idaho State led 3-0 through the first three innings before the Bulldogs scored three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 5-3 lead.
Santa Clara 4 Idaho State 3
Both teams struck early in the game as ISU scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Marquez led off with a single and Breakwell followed with an RBI double to put ISU on top 1-0. Galasso then doubled to center field, plating Breakwell to put the Bengals on top 2-0 and Blackwell RBI singled Galasso home to put ISU on top 3-0.
Santa Clara countered with three runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game and added another run in the third inning.
Idaho State had 10 hits in the game but committed two errors.
“Our biggest challenge right now is consistency,” Wright said. “We are a very young team who at times doesn't focus very well. We will continue to work on improving in this area.”
The Bengals return to the field March 8-10 in the Long Beach State tournament for games against North Dakota State, South Alabama, Utah, Cal State Fullerton and Charleston Southern.
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