Softball Opens Big Sky Tournament Wednesday

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POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State softball team opens the 2019 Big Sky Conference tournament as the No. 2 seed and will play Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. (MST) against the winner of No. 3 Montana and No. 6 Northern Colorado, a game that will be played earlier in the day.

All games will have live stats available and fans can watch all games on Pluto TV Channel 231.

Bengals in the Big Sky Tournament
Idaho State is back in the tournament after not qualifying for it in 2018. The Bengals are 11-10 in the Big Sky Tournament. In 2017, ISU went 3-2 in the double elimination tourney, falling one game short of the title game. Idaho State advanced to the title game in 2014 and 2014. In 2014 ISU forced the IF game vs. SUU before losing and in 2016 the Bengals lost to Weber State 4-2. Idaho State went 1-2 in the Big Sky Tournament in 2013 and 2015.

Four Bengals Earn All-Conference Honors
Junior outfielder Emma Bordenkecher earned first-team all-league while Autumn Pease was the Big Sky Co-Freshman of the Year and earned second-team all-conference.  Senior shortstop Aubrey Creekmore was second-team all-conference and senior infielder Haley Harrison earned honorable mention all-conference.

Bordenkecher was the only Bengal to play and start in all 45 games. She hit .380 with eight homers and 34 RBIs. In conference play she hit .404 with two homers and 11 RBIs. This is Bordenkecher's second all-conference honor as she earned honorable mention all-league in 2017. Bordenkecher earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors on March 4 and 25.

As a freshman Pease made an immediate impact for the Bengals. She pitched a team-high 113 innings and boasted a 10-5 record with two saves. She had 110 strike outs and opponents only hit .237 off her. The 110 strike outs ranks 8th in the Idaho State single-season record book. In conference play Pease had a 1.97 era and a 5-3 record in 49.2 innings. Opponents hit .235 off the freshman pitcher in league. Pease earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors on Feb. 11 and March 25.

Creekmore hit .481 in Big Sky play with six homers and 19 RBIs. For the season she led the Idaho State offense with a .414 average, six homers and 22 RBIs. Creekmore's .414 batting average ranks eighth all-time in the Bengal single-season record book and her .701 slugging percentage currently ranks sixth. Creekmore was tabbed as Big Sky Player of the Week on April 1 for hitting .778 in a three-game series at Monana.

Harrison hit .261 while playing and starting in 30 games at second base. She was a perfect 13-13 stealing bases. This is Harrison's second all-conference honor as she was named the Big Sky Conference Co-Newcomer of the Year and honorable mention all-conference in 2017.

2019 Big Sky Softball Championship Schedule
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
Game 1: #4 Sacramento State vs. #5 Portland State - 9:00 a.m.
Game 2: #3 Montana vs. #6 Northern Colorado - 11:30 a.m.
Game 3: #1 Weber State vs. Winner of Game 1 - 2:00 p.m.
Game 4: #2 Idaho State vs. Winner of Game 2 - 4:30 p.m.
 
THURSDAY, MAY 9
Game 5: Loser of Game 2 vs. Loser of Game 3 - 11 a.m.
Game 6: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 4 - 1:30 p.m.
Game 7: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 - 4:00 p.m.
 
FRIDAY, MAY 10
Game 8: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 - 1:30 p.m.
Game 9: Loser of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 8 - 4:00 p.m.
 
SATURDAY, MAY 11 - Championship
Game 10: Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9 - 11:00 a.m.
Game 11: (If Necessary) Winner of Game 9 must also win Game 10 - 1:30 p.m.
 
Recapping Sacramento State
Idaho State needed a sweep of Sacramento State to earn the No. 2 seed and they got just that. Thanks to two walkoff hits by Aubrey Creekmore, ISU beat the Hornets 3-2 in game 1, 9-6 in game 2 and 6-4 in game 3. Creekmore hit a walkoff single in game 1 and a three-run walkoff homer in the final game of the series. Creekmore hit .545 on the weekend with one homer and seven RBIs. MaKenzie Van Sickle was 5-10 in the series. Mariah Mulcahy, Autumn Pease and Kelsea Sweeney all earned wins in the circle.
 
Four Hit Games
Aubrey Creekmore became the second Bengal this season to have four hits in a game. Creekmore went 4-4 in the game 2, 9-6 win over Sacramento State. She had three RBIs and scored two runs in the game.  Emma Bordenkecher went 4-4 game vs. Portland State on March 23. She also recorded this on April 22, 2017 vs. Weber State. She also scored three runs, had three RBIs and one homer. This was the first four-hit game by the Bengals since Kacie Burnett did it on May 13, 2017 vs. Weber State in the Big Sky Tournament. That year Burnett had four four-hit games.

Big Sky Player of the Week Honors
Feb. 11- Autumn Pease, Pitcher of the Week
March 4- Emma Bordenkecher, Player of the Week
March 25- Emma Bordenkecher, Player of the Week; Autumn Pease, Pitcher of the Week
April 1- Aubrey Creekmore, Player of the Week