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ST. GEORGE, Utah – Idaho State softball opened the 2013 season with a split in the opening day, falling to No. 6 Tennessee 14-2 in five innings in the morning and rallying to defeat Nevada 5-4 in the evening. Sophomore
Vicky Galasso hit two homeruns during the day, including one against the Wolf Pack to help lead Idaho State to a victory over Nevada.
“We played really good defense and had really good energy,” ISU Head Coach
Julie Wright said. “I was pleased with adjustments made at the plate. I think we did that better today than we ever have before and I was really pleased with Fitzsimmons. She got better with just about every pitch.”
Senior
Amanda Fitzsimmons recorded her first win of the season after pitching the full seven against Nevada and recording seven strikeouts. Fitzsimmons also pitched four innings against Tennessee and recorded one strikeout in the contest.
The Bengals improve to 1-1 on the season after the day.
No. 6 Tennessee 14, Idaho State 2
Galasso led the Bengals against No. 6 Tennessee as she went 1-2 and smacked a two-run home run in the fourth inning to put ISU on the board.
Senior
Becky Molyneaux tied the Idaho State career stolen base record with her stolen base in the third inning. She currently has 20 stolen bases tied with Emily Hu.
The Bengals held the game close for the first three innings, only trailing the Lady Vols 2-0 going into the fourth inning. Tennessee scored seven runs in the fourth, including four from a grand slam.
The Volunteers hit another grand slam in the fifth, totaling five runs in the inning and closing the contest 14-2.
After playing three games in the tournament, Tennessee is 3-0 after also defeating Southern Utah (18-3 (5)) as well as Utah State (10-0 (5)).
Idaho State 5, Nevada 4
The Bengals trailed Nevada 3-0 going into the third inning but a homerun by junior
Katee Wiley put the Bengals on the board and trailing Nevada 3-1. Molyneaux followed Wiley with a triple to right center and scored on a single by freshman
Katelyn Marquez. Marquez scored on a Galasso double, tying the contest 3-3.
“Our youth brings really good energy and our youngsters aren't fazed by games like Tennessee and they aren't fazed by being down 3-0 against Nevada,” Wright said. “I think that really invigorates some of our older returning players so the freshmen have added a nice element with that. What I was most pleased about was getting down 3-0 to Nevada and battling back, last year I'm not sure we would have done that.”
ISU took the lead in the fourth inning on a solo homerun by sophomore
Hailey Breakwell. The Bengals took a two-run lead in the fifth inning off a solo homerun by Galasso.
Nevada narrowed the lead 5-4 in the sixth inning but the Bengals held the Wolf Pack off in the seventh to come away with the win.
Galasso recorded two hits off of four at bats during the contest and recorded a team-high two RBIs as well as one run. Molyneux also went 2-4 and scored one run. Breakwell went 1-3 with one RBI and one run.
Idaho State continues play tomorrow at the Red Desert Classic with contests against Utah Valley and Brigham Young Saturday. ISU faces the Wolverines at 1:30 and follows up with BYU at 4:30. Follow the action at
www.isubengals.com.
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