ISU Continues Conference Play at North Dakota

Notes | Live Stats | Live Video

POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State softball team returns to the field for a three-games series at North Dakota April 1-2. To follow the games  online with live video and stats log onto isubengals.com. The double header on April 1 begins at 1 p.m. mountain time and the single-game on Saturday, April 2, starts at 12 p.m. Mountain Time.

About North Dakota
North Dakota is 10-21 and 0-3 in Big Sky Conference play. Kaylin VanDomelen leads UND in the circle and at the plate. She is hitting .345 with one homer and five RBIs.  She is 7-11 in the circle with  a 2.85 era while pitching 13 complete games.

Bengals vs. North Dakota
Idaho State leads the series 9-1 and the Bengals have won five straight over UND. North Dakotas only win was 6-5 on May 2, 2014 in Grand Forks.

Slagle Climbing the Record Books for Wins
Sophie Slagle has a 24-14 record in the circle since arriving at Idaho State. She is tied with Amanda Fitzsimmons for most wins in school history.  Slagle's winning percentage is .631 (24-14), the best since Wendy Alvey went 16-6 (.727) in 1978 and Jo Hillegas-Skeleton was 16-6 in 1977 and 1979. The school record for most wins in a career is 43 by Kandis Clesson.

Burnett Off to a Hot start in March
Kacie Burnett leads the Bengal offensive attack. She is hitting .433 and is 12-15 stealing bases. In the last four weeks she is hitting .465 (20-43). She has scored 15 runs, tallied seven RBIs and is 6-7 stealing bases. Burnett has scored 28 runs and walked nine times.

Portesi Making Early Impact
Alex Portesi has made an early impact for the Bengals. The transfer from Farleigh Dickinson has the second-best batting average on the team at .391, scored 17 runs and has 11 RBIs.

Taylor off to Solid Season
Micheala Taylor has started all 30 games at second base and she at one  point had a 16-game hitting streak in the season. For the season she is hitting .377. She is second on the team in runs scored with 26 and her .377 batting average is the third-best on the team.

Where the Bengals Rank in NCAA Stats
Idaho State has the 29th best batting average in the country at .322 and they rank 49th in steals per game at 1.53. Maddy Hickman ranks 45th in walks per game at .73. Kacie Burnett has the 55th best batting average in the country at .433. Micheala Taylor ranks 57th in the country as the toughest person to strike out. She has struck out only four times, a ratio of striking out every 27.3 at bats.

Where the Bengals Rank in Big Sky Stats
ISU has the top batting average in the league at .322. Kacie Burnett leads conference in hits with 44 and runs scored with 25. Ames 26 RBIs is the second-best mark in the conference and Hickman's 24 ranks third. ISU's 142 runs scored is tied for the best in the conference with Weber State.

Bengal Bites
- Kacie Burnett had a streak of reaching base in 40 straight games dating back to last season snapped in a 3-2 10 inning win over Cal State Fullerton.
- Micheala Taylor had a season-best 16-game hitting streak that was snapped in the first game against CSUN last week.  
- Since the Big Sky Conference added softball in 2013, ISU is 22-19 in one run games, 15-15 in two-run games, 52-25 in games decided by five runs or more, 9-5 in extra inning games and 89-12 when out hitting its opponents.
- The series vs. SUU was the first time the Bengals have lost a home Big Sky Conference series.
- Idaho State has only lost three Big Sky Conference series.' The Bengals lost two of three at SUU in 2013, two of three at Northern Colorado in 2015 and two of three at home vs. SUU.
- The Idaho State pitching staff finished the 2015 season with a 3.93 era. It is only the second time since the program was brought back in 2007 that the pitching staff finished with below a 4.00 era. In 2009 ISU finished 20-21 and had a 3.77 era.
- Idaho State has outscored its opponents 68-25 in the fourth and fifth innings.