POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State softball split day two of the GCU Purple Classic in Phoenix, Ariz. Saturday afternoon. The Bengals dropped the first game of the day, 11-2 to Santa Clara. The Orange and -Black then ended the day on a high note with a walk-off 4-3 victory over the Cal State Fullerton Titans.
Game 2 | ISU 4 – Fullerton 3
Idaho State capped off day two of the GCU Purple Classic with the first walk off win of the season.
The Bengals struck first in the game. In the bottom of the 2nd Frankie Tago double to right field. She was followed by an Isabel Cargil single to left advancing Tago to 3rd. The next play Cargill stole second and, on the throw, Tago went home giving the Bengals a 1-0 lead headed into the 3rd.
In the top of the third, the Titans tied the game at 1-1. The two pitching staffs continued to battle back and forth with neither team unable to break the tie until in the top of the 5th, the Titans scored again to take a 2-1 lead.
The Bengals came roaring back in the bottom of the inning. Cargill got on base with a single up the middle she then was able to round the bases after a Brook Richards fly out and a Gracie Smith single to left. Rheanne Lewis came up to the plate and hit a single to center, scoring Cargill and drawing the game back at 2-2.
Mailee Newman then came to the plate and brought Smith home on a fly ball to give the Bengals a 3-2 lead headed to the sixth.
In the top of the sixth, the Bengals forced the Titans three up and three down and after not scoring in the bottom of the inning headed to the 7th with a one run lead.
In the top of the 7th the Titans did what they did in the first game and scored the tying run to make the game 3-3.
With one last chance in the bottom of the seventh, the Bengals first two batters fouled out and grounded out.
With two outs, the game was looking like it would head to extras like the first game the two teams played.
Junior infielder Angelica Cano stepped up to the plate and on the 1-2 pitch hit a monster home run over the center field wall and walked the Bengals off for the first time in the 2022 season.
Two Bengals had two hits and three different Bengals had RBIs.
In four innings, Mareena Ramirez gave up two runs on six hits and struck out one Titan. Coming in as relief, Haley Rainey pitched three innings. The Freshman earned the win allowing two hits and one run. Rainey had two strikeouts and walked four Titans.
Game 1 | Santa Clara 11 – ISU 2
Idaho fell to Santa Clara 11-2 on Day two of the GCU Purple Classic in Phoenix, Ariz.
Both teams were held scoreless though the first three innings as Emma Montoya in the circle held it down for the Bengals.
The Broncos finally broke it open in the fourth, scoring two runs before going on to score in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to total 11.
In the fifth inning, Bengal freshman Piper Tago hit her second home run of the season, a single run bomb over the left field wall.
The Bengals were able to add another run in the seventh after a Smith single to second.
Idaho State had nine hits on the game. Three Bengal pitchers combined to allow 11 runs on 11 hits. Montoya had four strike outs on 19 batters faced.
Looking Ahead
The Bengals have one final game in Phoenix tomorrow as they play Grand Canyon University in a morning game. First pitch is set for 9:00 AM the game will have live stats available and will be broadcast on ESPN+
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