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Box Score Game 1 |
Box Score Game 2
POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State softball team earned two wins Friday afternoon against visiting Northern Colorado at Miller Ranch Stadium. After multiple rain delays and a three-hour wait, the Bengals bested the Bears 7-1 in game one and 9-3 in game two for the two-game advantage in the series.
Senior
Maddy Hickman led the Bengals (25-21, 12-6 BSC) over the two-game stretch, finishing the day with five hits and five RBIs in five at-bats. Senior
Katelyn Marquez also shined, adding three RBIs and four hits for the day. Senior
Sophie Slagle earned the win in the circle game one, allowing just one run on five hits in seven innings pitched, and sophomore
Ashlyn Ames got the second game win with three runs on 10 hits.
"The girls were wonderful [with the rain delay]," Head Coach
Candi Letts said. "When they came to the field, you could tell there was a different mindset. They just really came to play and have fun."
The Bengals started the first game hot, scoring two runs in the first inning off of Hickman's double to left field to take an early two-run lead. Another two-run inning in the bottom of the third gave ISU a 4-0 lead, and four-straight solid defensive innings prevented a run from the Bears. UNC (9-33, 4-14 BSC) scored its first run in the top of the fifth after Jordyn Wiatrak was walked with the bases loaded, allowing Kelli Kleis to score.
Idaho State prevented the Bears from scoring another run, and a two-run fifth inning and one-run sixth gave the Bengals the 7-1 win.
"It seemed like when we needed the defense, it shut the door," Letts said. "We can always do better – we have to do better – but when we had to have it, it was there. They're confident, and they may not get the first ball, but the second one they're not letting up."
In game two, both teams were held scoreless through two innings. Idaho State broke the scoring drought in the bottom of the third when junior
Sarah Hayes scored following a ground out from Marquez with the bases loaded. The Bengals would score three more runs before the Bears took advantage of a high foul ball near home plate to earn the third out.
The fourth inning was scoreless for both, but Northern Colorado battled back in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs off five hits. Idaho State responded with a three-run inning in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead heading into the sixth.
A scoreless sixth inning from the Bears and a two-run performance from Idaho State gave ISU a 9-3 advantage heading into the top of the seventh. UNC was unable to capitalize on its final at-bats, and the Bengals earned the 9-3 victory.
"It felt really good; I'm glad we got [the games] in, even with the rain," Burnett said. "We lucked out…We're used to [the rain delays] with the Pocatello weather."
Idaho State is back in action for the third and final game of the series against Northern Colorado Saturday, May 6 at 1 p.m. MST.
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