Walkoff HR by Williams Lifts ISU Past Long Beach State

 
POCATELLO, Idaho- Idaho State freshman Kristen Williams seized the opportunity on Saturday vs. Long Beach State. Williams started at third base and went two-for-four with three RBIs, two runs scored and a walkoff home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift ISU to the 8-7 victory over Long Beach State in Long Beach. Earlier in the day ISU lost 2-0 to Utah from the Pac 12 conference.

In the win, Kacie Burnett was two-for-three with one run scored and Michaela Taylor was two-for-four with two RBIs. Bailey Foster earned the win by pitching the final two innings, allowing two hits, one run and two strike outs. Sophie Slagle pitched the first six innings, allowed nine hits, six runs, three walks and one strike out.

Idaho State scored its eight runs on 10 hits while Long Beach State scored seven runs on 11 hits. The Bengals led Long Beach State 2-0 after the first inning thanks a two-run blast by Vicky Galasso. Long Beach then scored four runs in the third and two in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Bengals tied the game at six with a four-run inning.

"I am really proud of this team," Head Coach Julie Wright said. "We have had an extremely tough schedule this weekend and we were faced with a lot of adversity. Watching them fight the way they did makes me very proud."

Hailey Breakwell led off with a single and she would later score on a Dara Kolar pinch-hit single. Breakwell was able to score on the play thanks to a Long Beach State fielding error. Then with one out, Williams smacked a double to left field that scored Katelyn Marquez. The final two runs came on a Michaela Taylor single to right-center.

Long Beach State scored one run in the top of the eighth before Williams hit her game-winning home run in the bottom half of the inning.

Against Utah, the Bengals were held to one hit and committed two errors in the field. Breakwell had the only hit of the game for ISU.

Utah scored a run in the fourth and sixth innings. The Utes had five hits in the victory.

Freshman Ashlyn Ames went the distance in the circle, allowing five hits, two runs while striking out two.

"I am most proud of Sophie, Ashlyn and Bailey for their efforts on the mound," Wright said. "They did a great job of keeping us in games against tough competition."