POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State Softball notched its second run rule game of the LaJolla Invitational, taking down Fairleigh Dickinson 13-5 in San Diego Sunday Morning.
The Bengals finish the tournament sweep and end the week with a 6-0 record, the best start in Idaho State Softball team history.
How it Happened
The Bengals got on the board first with an Angelica Cano in the first inning, kicking off an offensive explosion for the Bengals.
In the second, the Bengals the Bengals took advantage of errors by the Knights to score Kennedy Dudley and Paige Simpson. Olivia Robison singled up the middle scoring two more runs and the Bengals led 5-4.
In the third, Gracie Smith hit the first of her extra base hits of the game, a triple scoring two runs to extend the lead to 7-5.
Ava Brown then brought Smith home on a groundout and the Bengals went into the fourth with an 8-5 lead.
In the bottom of the 4th the Bengals loaded the bases and once again Gracie Smith stepped up to the plate, smashing a grand slam home run over the center field wall to extend the Bengals' lead to 12-5.
In the fifth, the Bengals put a runner on base, and Emma McMurray pinch-running for the Orange and Black took advantage of a throwing error to round the bases and score the game-winning run in five innings.
Notes-
· The Bengals 6-0 start is the Best in Idaho State Softball history. The 2014 team had a 5-1 start, the 1978 team had a 5-1 start.
· The Bengals hit .370 with 10 hits on 27 at bats.
· Gracie Smith led the team hitting .667 with a homerun and a triple, a 2.333 SLG percentage.
· Marley Goluskin earned her 2nd win of the season, throwing three innings with four strikeouts and one walk allowed.
Tournament Notes
· The Bengals end the LaJolla Invitational with a 5-0 record (2-0 vs UCSD, 2-0 vs CBU and 1-0 vs FDU)
· ISU hit .320 as a team over the previous six games with 58 hits, and 17 extra-base hits including seven home runs in six games.
· The Bengal defense held opponents to .171 on average and only gave up eight extra-base hits (7 doubles, 1 HR)
· The Bengal pitching staff finished with a 1.15 team ERA over six games with two shutouts and two 'mercy rule' games.
· Three Bengal pitchers had six strikeouts each.
· Marley Goluskin led the team with a 2-0 record and a 0.00 ERA appearing in three games and 10 innings pitched. Goluskin only allowed six hits and had six strikeouts with just two walks.
· The Bengals went 11-12 on stolen bases during the week with Paige Simpson and Gracie Smith leading with 5-5 and 4-4 respectively.
· Gracie Smith led the team offensively this week with a .550 batting average going 11-of-20 with two home runs and a triple. Smith hit the Bengals' first grand slam of the season in the Bengals' win over FDU.
On Deck
The Bengals head to the Lone Star State next week to take on the Whataburger Invitational hosted by Tarleton University. The Bengals will take on Tarleton, Buffalo, and Mississippi Valley State.
