PHOTO GALLERY
OGDEN, Utah- The Idaho State softball team opened the Big Sky Conference tournament with a 10-4 win over No. 3 seed Sacramento State and then lost 8-0 in six innings to No. 2 Montana on Thursday afternoon at Wildcat Field on the campus of Weber State University.
Idaho State now plays No. 5 seed North Dakota at 12 p.m. The winner of that game will play at 5 p.m. on Friday afternoon.
The Bengals had 18 hits on the day, led by
Haley Harrison going 4-7 with two triples and three RBIs.
Kacie Burnett and
Emma Bordenkecher each had three hits.
Ashlyn Ames earned the win over Sacramento State tossing a seven inning complete game. She allowed nine hits, four runs, two walks while striking out six.
Harley Wells took the loss against Montana. She pitched two innings, allowing four hits and three runs.
Mariah Mulcahy tossed the final 3.1 innings, allowing three hits, five runs and five walks.
In the win over Sacramento State, the game was tied at four going into the seventh inning but six runs in the top of the seventh inning propelled the Bengals to the victory. ISU scored all 10 of its runs with two outs.
ISU had 11 hits and four different players had two hits. Burnett was 2-4 with two RBIs. Bordenkecher was 2-4 with two RBIs and a first-inning two-run home run.
Alex Portesi was 2-4 with two RBIs and Harrison was 2-4 with three RBIs. Harrison's two hits were triples.
ISU led 2-0 after the first inning.
Sarah Hayes led off with walk and later in the inning with two outs Bordenkecher hit her homer to left.
The Hornets scored a run in the third and two in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. The Bengals retook the lead in the sixth with a two-run inning. With one-out Burnett reached on a bunt and then Ames walked. Bordenkecher would reach on a fielder's choice and Portesi followed with a two-out two RBI double to put the Bengals back on top 4-3.
Sacramento State scored a run in the sixth to the game at four.
Aubrey Creekmore led off the top of the seventh with a single to third base and after a
Shayna Dahlen pop out,
Kelsey Breer reached base on a fielder's choice. With two runners on Burnett gave ISU the lead for good at 6-4 with a double to left field. Ames then singled to center field to score Burnett and Harrison had a bases clearing triple for the final runs of the game.
Ames retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory.
Against Montana, ISU had seven hits but left seven on base and committed four errors in the field. Montana scored three runs in the second inning, one in the fifth and four in the sixth inning.
Harrison was 2-3 at the plate in the game to lead the Bengals.
Candi Letts Post Game Comments Following the Win over Sacramento State
Candi Letts Post Game Comments Following the Loss to Montana
