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POCATELLO, Idaho- Thanks to a solid pitching effort from
Mariah Mulcahy,
Ashlyn Ames and
Harley Wells, the Idaho State softball team swept a Big Sky Conference double header on Friday at Sacramento State, winning 6-4 in eight innings and 4-1 in game 2.
Alex Portesi,
Emma Bordenkecher and
Kacie Burnett led the offensive attack with three hits apiece. Bordenkecher had four RBIs.
Ames went the distance in the game 1 win, going eight innings, scattering seven hits, striking out four, walking one and allowing four runs (only two earned). Mulcahy pitched six innings in the game 2, allowing only three hits, striking out three and walking three.
Harley Wells earned the save.
"These are two quality wins," Idaho State coach
Candi Letts said. "We had solid pitching all the way around. We had timely hitting and we feed off that."
Idaho State is now 11-14 overall and 4-1 in Big Sky Conference play. Sacramento State dropped to 11-17-1 and 1-3 in conference.
In game 1, both teams were scoreless through three innings. In the top of the fourth inning ISU scored two runs with two outs. Ames reached base on a two-out fielding error and then
Aubrey Creekmore walked. Bordenkecher followed with an RBI single to left field that scored Ames. Portesi then platted Creekmore on an infield single for the second run of the inning.
ISU then scores two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 4-0 lead. Burnett led off with a single to right and then with one out, Creekmore singled to right field. Bordenkecher drove in the first run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to right field. Portesi then drove in a run on a bunt to up the ISU lead to 4-0.
Sacramento State tied the game at four in the bottom of the sixth when it took advantage of three Bengal errors.
In the eighth inning Bordenkecher drove in the winning runs on a two-out single up the middle that scored Burnett and
Makenzie VanSickle. Burnett singled to right with one out and Ames followed with a single to left. VanSickle pinch ran for Ames to set up her run.
Burnett was 3-4 and scored two runs while Bordenkecher was 2-3 with four RBIs. Portesi was 2-3 with two RBIs in the extra inning win. ISU scored its six runs on nine hits while the Hornets had seven hits.
In game 2, both teams combined for only seven hits. ISU had four by four different players. ISU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Creekmore led off with a walk and Bordenkecher singled to center.
Haley Harrison then advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt.
Later in the inning with two outs,
Sarah Hayes had a two-RBI single to center field. The Bengals extended their lead to 3-0 in the top of the sixth inning on a Creekmore sacrifice fly that scored Burnett.Â
Sac State scored a run in the bottom of the sixth before ISU added its final in the top of the seventh inning.
The three-game series concludes Saturday at 1 p.m. Mountain time.
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