POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State Softball opened the 2024 ASU/GCU Classic 1-1 after picking up 9-2 tournament-opening win over the Utah Valley University Wolverines and a loss against the Grand Canyon Lopes Friday afternoon in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Bengals move to 11-3 on the year.
Postgame Remarks
Head Coach Andrew Rich remarked on the Bengals' day-one performance
"We came out in game 1 with a great approach at the plate and really put a lot of pressure on UVU and that led to some really good success at the plate. Taylor threw another great game and we opened it up in the middle innings.
Game 2 we just didn't make the adjustments necessary to have success offensively. Our pitchers threw great and kept us in the game, but never found any rhythm offensively."
How it Happened
Game 1 ISU 9 – UVU 2
The Idaho State Bengals got off to a hot start this weekend at the ASU/GCU Invitational in Phoenix, Ariz.
The first two innings of the game started with a duel between Taylor Fitzgerald and the Utah Valley Pitcher. Over the first 12 outs of the game, neither team could gain any ground.
Fitzgerald and the Bengal defense came out to a screaming start, recording six outs on the first six batters of the game for the Wolverines.
In the third, the Bengals broke through the stalemate and the offensive explosion was on. Alyssa Yee started the Bengals off, doubling up the center. Madison Muxen came up next and smashed an RBI single to earn the Orange and Black their first run of the game. Angelica Cano followed with a single and after an Olivia Robison Walk, Ava Brown singled to right, scoring another run. Kate Hogan scored the last run of the inning, a sacrifice fly and the Bengals took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the inning.
In the bottom of the third, UVU found their only offense of the game, scoring two runs, taking advantage of two Bengal errors.
Heading into the 4th with just a one-run lead, ISU looked for any momentum it could find. That momentum came in the form of a Gracie Smith Single to get on base. Yee then stepped up to the plate and smashed her third home run of the year over the left field wall, extending the Bengal lead to 5-2.
The Bengals weren't done, after a pair of singles by Angelica Cano and Robison, Brown hit her third double of the season, bringing home another run. Kate Hogan then continued the barrage, hitting a 2 RBI Single to extend the Bengals lead to 8-2 as the inning ended.
In the bottom of the fourth, Fitzgerald fanned her first batter of the day, and the Bengal defense continued to step up putting out the other two batters.
After a scoreless fifth, the Bengals came back in the sixth and added an insurance run on a Sethman ground out that scored the Bengal runner.
Moving onto the bottom of the 7th, the Bengal defense didn't give the Wolverines a chance at a comeback, slamming the door and closing out the 9-2 win.
Game 2 ISU – GCU
Lizzy Tommasini get her first start of the season against the GCU Lopes Friday night.
Tommasini battled the GCU offense for four innings in Phoenix. For the first three innings, it was once again a pitching duel with neither team able to find footing.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Lopes were finally able to break the stalemate picking up just their third and fourth hits of the game, but moving the bases to take a 2-0 lead.
Emma McMurray came in to pitch in relief in the fifth inning, holding the Lopes scoreless in the fifth but allowing two runs in the sixth.
The Bengals had other chances in the following innings but were unable to capitalize and fell to the Lopes 4-0
Notes-
· The Bengals move to 25-28 all-time vs the UVU Wolverines and have now defeated UVU in six of the past eight meetings.
· The win over UVU is Taylor Fitzgerald's 4th win of the season. In those four wins, Fitzgerald has only allowed 12 hits and is holding opponents to a .113 BA over 31.1 IP.
· The Bengals hit three doubles in the win over UVU moving the season total to 28 for the Bengals nearly 10 more than the 2nd place team in the Big Sky.
· The Bengals' 16 hits against UVU is the seventh game this season where the Bengal offense has broken the double-digit mark and is tied for the season's high with the Bengals' win over MVSU with 16.
On Deck
The Tournament continues tomorrow as the Bengals take on Texas State for the first time ever and host Arizona State for the first time since 2014 at 1:30 and 6:30 PM
