PHOTO GALLERY
POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State softball team tied a school record for most home runs in a game by hitting six in the second inning of game 1 to beat Portland State 14-0 in five innings. In the second game the Vikings beat the Bengals 10-2 in six innings.
"In the first game we were not leaving people on base," Idaho State coach
Candi Letts said. "In the second game we were hitting the ball hard but they just happened to be in the right place at the right time. We still hit the ball hard with runners on but those hits just didn't go through. If those hits go through I think it is a different game."
In the 14-0 win ISU scored 11 runs in the second inning and three in the third. The Bengals 14 runs came on 12 hits and
Ashlyn Ames earned the complete game win by allowing only three hits and striking out one in five innings of work.
Haley Harrison was 1-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Ames was 2-3 with two home runs, three RBIs and two runs scored.
Emma Bordenkecher hit three home runs on the day with two coming in the second inning of game. She finished with five RBIs and three runs scored.
The 11 run second inning started when Ames led off with a homer to left field. Four of the six home runs in the second inning were to left field. After
Aubrey Creekmore walked, Bordenkecher hit her first homer on a two-run shot to left.
Later in the inning, Harrison hit a two-out three run homer to left field and Ames hit her second homer of the inning on another two-run shot to left field. Creekmore then homered to right field and Bordenkecher followed with a solo-shot to centerfield.
Kelsey Breer had an RBI single for the final run of the inning.
"We have worked real hard and the girls have been very conscience of knowing what they have to do at the plate," Letts said. "We showed in that game what they are capable of. We hit some really quality pitches."
ISU's three runs in the third inning came on a two-run double by Bordenkecher and she later scored on an RBI single by
Alex Portesi.
In the game 2 loss, the Vikings led 4-0 after the top of the fifth inning. ISU cut the PSU lead to 4-2 on a two-run shot by Bordenkecher in the bottom of the fifth.
"Every one of our new kids are starting to have a presence," Letts said of Bordenkecher.
The Bengals would get no closer after that as Portland State scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the game away.
Mariah Mulcahy took the loss in the circle, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing four hits, two runs and five walks.
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"The message was it is disappointing to lose at any time," Letts said. "But it was about them knowing that you have to hit the reset button after having a near-perfect game in game 1. You just have to reset. That win doesn't mean anything and you have to know that you are facing a different team when you play the next game. They are not going to be the same team when we play them and neither should we."
The three-game series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. at Miller Ranch Stadium.
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