POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State softball team dropped two games on Saturday at the Grand Canyon tournament. The Bengals fell to New Mexico State 15-2 in five innings in the opening game and lost 5-4 to Grand Canyon in the night cap.
New Mexico State 15 Idaho State 2 (5)
Idaho State led 1-0 after the top of the second inning thanks to Amber Arreola singling home Jillian Martinez on a single to right field. The Aggies then scored the next seven runs to lead 7-1 after three innings.
In the top of the fourth, Frankie Tago homered to center field but the Aggies would score eight runs in the bottom half of the inning to lead 15-2 and secure the five inning win.
Tago and Arreola both had two hits for the Bengals. Idaho State had six hits while the Aggies finished with 13.
Grand Canyon 5 Idaho State 4
In the Bengals second game of the day an Idaho State rally fell short in a 5-4 loss to Grand Canyon. Idaho State scored its four runs on nine hits and committed one error while Grand Canyon had 12 hits and four errors.
Mareen Ramirez took the loss in the circle. She went the distance, striking out two and walking two. Emma Bordenkecher had two hits, one being a home run. Eight different Bengal had hits.
Grand Canyon scored two runs in the top of the first inning and maintained the 2-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Bengals tied the game at two.
Frankie Tago opened the inning by reaching on an error. Angelica Cano then walked and a batter later Amber Arreola doubled to left field, scoring JJ Nguyen, who pinch ran for Tago, and Cano. Grand Canyon committed two errors in the inning, setting up the Bengal runs.
GCU countered with three runs in the top of the fifth to extend its lead to 5-2. ISU added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Cano reached on a one-out single. She later scored on a two-out double by Skyler Sethman to left-center.
Emma Bordenkecher hit a solo-homer in the bottom of the seventh but the Bengals would get no closer.
Idaho State's tournament at Grand Canyon ends Sunday with a 9 a.m. contest vs. New Mexico State.
