Softball | 2/14/2018 7:50:00 AM
POCATELLO, Idaho- The 2018 season is here. The Idaho State softball team opens the season Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. mountain time vs. San Jose State in Las Vegas. The Bengals are set to play five games in Las Vegas, Feb. 16-18. Following the San Jose State game, ISU plays UNLV at 2:30 p.m. mountain time. On Saturday, Feb. 17, ISU plays CSUN at 4:45 p.m. (MST) and Hawai'i at 7 p.m. (MST). The tournament concludes with a 12:15 p.m. start on Feb. 18 vs. Long Beach State.
Series History
CSUN
CSUN leads the series 2-1. The Bengals won 4-1 in 2013 but then lost twice at Northridge in 2016, 8-0 and 5-2.
Hawai'i
Hawai'i leads the series 3-0. The Bengals lost 8-0 in 2008, 14-1 in five innings in 2012 and 5-1 last year.
Long Beach State
The series is tied at 1-1. ISU lost 1-0 in 2010 but then won 8-7 in eight innings in 2015.
San Jose State
The Spartans lead the series 6-2. San Jose State has won four straight with the most recent meeting being a 8-1 victory in 2015. Idaho State's last win was 7-4 in 2011. The teams have faced each other in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015.
UNLV
UNLV leads the series 5-0. ISU lost 1-0 in Las Vegas last year. In 2015 ISU lost 4-1 and in 2012 they lost 7-1. The two teams also played twice in 2010.
Returning Veterans
The Bengals return a good core who contributed to the teams run in the Big Sky Conference tournament.
Leading the way is senior
Ashlyn Ames, junior
Haley Harrison and sophomores
Emma Bordenkecher and
Kelsey Breer.
Last season Harrison was named the Big Sky Conference Co-Newcomer of the Year after hitting .346 with four home runs and 26 RBIs. She played and started in 42 of 45 games. Harrison also garnered honorable mention all-conference.
Ames returns after a junior season that saw her hit .287 with three homers and a team-best 39 RBIs. Ames was also 10-15 in the circle with a 3.60 era. She pitched 157.2 innings.
Last year Ames was second-team all-conference while Bordenkecher and Harrison were honorable mention all-league. Harrison was also the Big Sky Conference
Co-Newcomer of the Year.
Bordenkecher hit a team-best eight home runs while Breer played and started all 45 games at short stop.
Shayna Dahlen, Makenzie Vansickle and
Aubrey Creekmore also return to the lineup. Dahlen played in 35 games, starting 31 at catcher while VanSickle played in 30 games and Creekmore appeared in 44 games, starting 40.
Returning and expected to see key time in the circle is
Mariah Mulcahy. Last year she pitched 60.2 innings and went 5-9.
Picked fourth
| Team |
Points |
| 1. Montana (5) |
47 |
| 2. Weber State (3) |
45 |
| 3. Sacramento State |
37 |
| 4. Idaho State |
27 |
| T5. North Dakota |
24 |
| T5. Southern Utah |
24 |
| T7. Northern Colorado |
10 |
| T7. Portland State |
10 |
First place votes in parenthesis
|
|
Newcomers Seeing Their First Action
After missing last season due to injury
Genesis Zamora is ready to play.
Frankie Tago also missed last year due to injury and returns as a redshirt freshman. Newcomers to the team are
Pashence Korten,
Billie Jean Wells,
Ellery Jones,
Cassidy FitzGerald,
Kelsie Cota,
Kelsea Sweeney,
Nicole Calderon and
Danni Ryan. Ryan was on the team last year but sat out due to transfer rules.
What's Next?
The Bengals head to El Paso Feb. 23-25 for three games against New Mexico State and two against UTEP.
