Breakwell Walkoff Single Lifts ISU Past Northern Colorado, 3-2

Box Score  
POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State softball team continued its flare for the dramatic in the opening game of the ICCU Big Sky Conference Softball Tournament. Hailey Breakwell hit a walk off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Northern Colorado 3-2 in front of a crowd of over 700 people at Miller Ranch Stadium.

"It is the norm for us," Idaho State coach Julie Wright said. "I don't know if it is so much about the walk off but our hitters are good. You are not always going to be able to throw the same sequences to them. They are going to adjust. Maybe it just took seven and we have seven innings in a game."

Idaho State scored two runs in the first inning and maintained the 2-0 lead until the seventh inning. In the top of the seventh, Northern Colorado's Kaitlin Flynn hit a two-run home run to tie the game.

"Even though that pitch wasn't perfect, I thought she put a good swing on it," Wright said. "She is a good hitter. Good hitters hit good pitches."

In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Sarah Hayes singled to left field and Kacie Burnett hit an infield single to second base. Vicky Galasso then walked to load the bases to set up Breakwell's game-winning single to right-center.  

"I just feel like you can't hold us down for very long," Wright said. "At some point we are going to bite you and that is what happened."

Idaho State scored its three runs on eight hits and committed one error in the field. Northern Colorado scored two runs on only four hits.

Breakwell was two-for-four with one RBI and she scored one run. Burnett was two-for-three and Terah Blackwell was one-for-three with two RBIs.

Haley Douglas pitched 6.2 innings, allowed four hits, two runs while striking out two. Jessica Tolmie earned her eighth win of the season when she pitched the final out of the game.

"She was brilliant," Wright said on Douglas. "I couldn't have had a better performance from her. I thought Jess was brilliant. She came in and did her job."

ISU's two runs in the first inning came from a two-RBI double by Blackwell.

Following the game, Wright gave credit to Northern Colorado pitcher Megan Wilkinson.

"I thought Wilkinson pitched the best game she has ever pitched against us because she managed us below the knee," she said. "We gave into that. I kept saying to the team, 'Make her bring it up because that is where you are brilliant.'"

Idaho State plays at 10 a.m. on Friday at Miller Ranch Stadium vs. SUU. Sacramento State and Northern Colorado play at 1 p.m. All games are free to the public.