OGDEN, Utah – The Roaring Bengals have earned a spot in the 2023 Big Sky Softball Championship Game after an 8-2 dismantling of the UNC Bears Thursday afternoon.
The Bengals put together a consistent offense through seven innings and once again the Bengal's defense truly dazzled, led by Jordan Schuring in the circle.
Idaho State set the tone early, Skyler Sethman and Alyssa Yee led off with hits. Olivia Robison stepped up to the plate and hammered the ball to center field, scoring a two-RBI double.
Playing the DP, Sophia Stoddard then hit a sacrifice to the infield and scored the 2nd run of the game.
Over next four innings, the Bengal defense got to work. Whenever the Bears would try to gain ground, the Bengals were there waiting for them and Schuring gave them fits in the circle.
Never backing down, the Bengals forced the Bears into putout after putout. When the Bears finally connected on a triple in the fourth, Schuring wasn't rattled, instead, she went back to work and forced the Bears into a ground out ending then inning.
With a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth, the Bengals turned on the gas. After a walk drawn by Alyssa Yee, Angelica Cano stepped into the box.
On the third pitch she faced, the Bengal junior launched an absolute bomb over the left field wall, and the floodgates opened.
Robison followed with a double to center and pinch running for her, Gracie Smith took advantage of a single by Stoddart to cross home plate and put the Bengals up 6-2. With two outs in the inning, Stoddard stole home and the Bengals moved onto the 5th with a 7-2 lead.
Instead of letting the Bears gain even a grain of momentum, the Bengal defense locked down and forced UNC into three straight groundouts.
The offensive dagger came in the sixth after Sethman doubled to left and Cano followed it up with her third RBI of the game, a single to center. The Bengals led 8-2 and that was all the runs they would need.
Once again, the Bears went three up three down in the bottom of the sixth, and finally headed to the bottom of the seventh, ISU forced the Bears into three straight putouts to end the game.
The win secures ISU a spot in Saturday's Championship game. This will be the first tournament championship appearance for the Orange and Black since the 2016 season.
The Bengals hit .353 as a team with 12 hits, five of which were for extra bases.
Schuring once again was dominant in the circle for the Bengals. Over the course of seven innings, Schuring only allowed five hits with one walk allowed
The Bengals now have a full day off to rest and recuperate while waiting to find out who they will face between Weber State, Portland State and Northern Colorado.
