POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State softball team had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning but the rally fell short, allowing Montana to earn a 4-2 victory and sweep the three-game series over the Bengals.
ISU trailed 4-0 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out,
Emma Bordenkecher singled to centerfield and
Aubrey Creekmore followed with a single to right field. Creekmore and Bordenkecher then advanced to second and third on a passed ball.
Shayna Dahlen then hit a two-RBI double to left-center for the first two runs of the game for Idaho State.
Cassidy FitzGerald grounded to first to move Dahlen to third but a fly out by
Kelsey Breer ended the game.
Montana led 3-0 after the first inning. During the inning, the Bengals committed two errors but allowed only one hit. The Griz added a run in the fifth inning to take the 4-0 lead.
Idaho State had six hits and committed three errors while Montana was held to three hits.
"We got down on a good team with a good pitcher," Idaho State coach
Candi Letts said. "We made some adjustments. The last inning was good. The girls fought back to get a couple of runs. To have the tying run at the plate is what you want. The girls fought in the last inning but they need to learn to do it from the first inning on."
All six Bengal hits were by six different players.
Ashlyn Ames took the loss. She tossed a complete game, allowing three hits, four runs (only one earned), one walk and five strikeouts.
"I thought Ashlyn pitched a good game," Letts said. "We just had one bad inning of defense."
Idaho State returns to the field, March 30-31 for a three-game series at Portland State.
