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Live Stats
The Idaho State softball team starts conference play with a three-game series at Portland State. The series starts with a double-header Saturday, March 22, at 2 p.m. (MDT). On Sunday, March 23, the game is scheduled for 1 p.m. (MDT).
The Week That Was
The Bengals went 3-2 at the Spring Hill Suites Invitational in Boise with all three wins coming against Lafayette and both losses coming at the hands of Boise State. The Bengals outscored Lafayette 32-1 in three games. Two of the three games ended in five innings.
The Broncos defeated ISU 4-1 and 1-0.
About Portland State
Portland State holds an 18-5 all-time advantage over the Bengals. ISU took two-of-four from Portland State last season and each of those games went into extra innings.
After starting 2-1, the Vikings have lost 11 straight and 19 of their last 20. They have wins over Indiana, New Mexico and Rutgers.
PSU has a team ERA of 7.29 and a team batting average of .229. Head Coach Barb Sherwood is in her first season.
Bengals in the NCAA Stats
As a team, Idaho State has the 9th best batting average in the country at .342. ISU ranks eighth in scoring at 7.12 runs a game and 32nd in home runs per game at 1.00. The Bengals have the 26th best slugging percentage at .498.
Individually,
Vicky Galasso ranks fourth in home runs per game at .40, sixth in home runs with 10, second in RBIs per game at 1.60, 10th in runs per game at 1.28, and 20th in slugging percentage at .836.
Kacie Burnett has the seventh best batting average in the country at .494 and she ranks 26th in on base percentage at .551. Burnett is tied with Galasso for 10th in runs per game at 1.35 and is third in triples with four.
Terah Blackwell is 35nd in home runs with seven and 52nd in sacrifice flies with two.
Did you Know
The Bengals 15-10 record is the best start to a season since the program was brought back in 2007.
Bengals Earning Weekly Big Sky Conference Honors
The Bengals have earned four of the six conference player of the week honors.
Kacie Burnett earned it week one.
Vicky Galasso earned the honor on March 4 and Burnett earned the honor again for her performance at the UC Riverside Highlander Classic.
Katee Wiley won the award after last week's performance in Boise.
Haley Douglas also brought home conference pitcher of the week honors last week.
Leading the League
The Idaho State offense leads the Big Sky Conference in 12 statistical categories. The Bengals are the top team in the conference in batting average (.341), slugging percentage (.498), on base percentage (.418), runs scored (178), hits (239), RBI (160), triples (7), total bases (349), walks (85), sacrifice flies (15), stolen bases (35) and steal attempts (38).
Leading the League (Individual Stats)
Individually, the Bengals are a top the conference stats in 14 offensive categories.
Kacie Burnett is first in the conference in batting average (.494), on base percentage (.551), runs scored (32), hits (43), triples (4), stolen bases (13) and stolen base attempts (14).
Vicky Galasso is first in the league in slugging percentage (.836), RBI (40), runs scored (32), home runs (10), total bases (61), walks (19) and sacrifice flies (3).
Terah Blackwell is first in the league in doubles (7). Wiley is tied with Galasso for the lead in sacrifice flies (3).
The Power Continues
Last year ISU hit over .300 for the first time since the program was brought back in 2007. The Bengals finished with a .329 average, the second best mark in program history. The 1977 team finished the season with a .351 batting average. The 2013 team also set single season records in home runs with 78 and RBIs with 315. This year's ISU squad has already hit 22 home runs, totaled 239 hits and 160 RBIs.
Bengal Bites
- The 16 runs scored vs. Buffalo on March 1, and again vs. Lafayette on March 14, is the most runs a Big Sky Conference team has scored in a game this season.
- Idaho State's 19 hits vs. Lafayette on March 14, is the most by a Big Sky Conference team this season and the 16 RBI in the same game and against Buffalo on March 1, is the most by any team in the league.
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Kacie Burnett's five hits vs. Utah State on March 7, is the most by a Big Sky Conference player to this point in the season.
- The four runs
Vicky Galasso scored against Buffalo on March 1, is the most by any Big Sky player.
Preseason Big Sky Favorites
Last season the Bengals were picked to finish last in the Big Sky by the coaches. The Bengals surprised everyone when they went 14-4 in Big Sky play to win the rights to host the first-ever Big Sky Conference softball championship.
This season the Bengals won't be surprising anyone as they were picked first by the coaches in the preseason poll.
Returning Honor Winners
Vicky Galasso is the reigning Big Sky Player of the Year and sophomore
Maddy Hickman was the 2013 Big Sky Freshman of the Year. Four other returning Bengals received honors from the Big Sky for their play in 2013.
Galasso's Preseason Honors
Vicky Galasso received preseason recognition from two national organizations leading up to the start of the 2014 season.
USA Softball named Galasso to their Top 50 Watch List and she earned third-team preseason All-American honors from College Sports Madness.
Returning Starters
The Bengals return eight starters from last year's championship squad.
Five New Bengals
Four freshmen and one Division I transfer will add to the Bengal depth this season.
Sarah Hayes,
Kacie Burnett,
Dara Kolar and
Jennie Murillo are freshmen on the 2014 roster.
Jessica Tolmie is a sophomore transfer from Temple.
Team Captains
Terah Blackwell,
Vicky Galasso,
Hailey Breakwell and
Katee Wiley will serve as captains for the 2014 season.
We Are Your Bengals
