Softball Starts Season With 4-3 Walk-Off Victory

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POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State softball team defeated UC Santa Barbara, 4-3, in eight innings on Friday morning to open up the 2020 season.

"I'm proud of the fight and focus the girls had the whole game," said Head Coach Cristal Brown. "They came up with some big defensive plays and hits in key moments. We played solid softball all the way around."
 
The Bengals recorded nine hits, led by Morgan Hess and Kelsey Breer each going 3-4 at the plate. Isa Cargill went 1-4 with an RBI and two runs followed by Angelica Cano going 1-3 with a double.  
 
UCSB came out swinging, starting the game off with a triple to center field followed by a double to right to put them on the board first. A single up the middle would give the Gauchos a 2-0 lead after the first inning.
 
Shealee Perkins started the third inning taking second base on a wild pitch after walking on a full count. Perkins would score the Bengals' first run thanks to a single up the middle from Isa Cargill. Two errors from UCSB allowed Cargill to come around, tying the game at 2 heading into the fourth inning.
 
The Gauchos tried to start a spark with a lead-off single in the top of the sixth that was later shut down with a double-play by ISU. The Bengals would put runners on first in second in the bottom of the sixth but were unable to take a lead. Neither team would score in the seventh bringing the game into international tie breaker.
 
With a runner on second to start the eighth, UCSB scored on a single to take a 3-2 lead. Cargill started on second in the bottom of the inning and was moved to third on a bunt from Hess. Frankie Tago walked, helping fill the bases for a walk-off two-RBI hit from Breer.
 
Kelsea Sweeney pitched all eight for the Bengals, striking out three while giving up nine hits and two earned runs.