Pocatello, Idaho - The Idaho State Bengals (19-10) split day one of the three-game series with the Saint Mary's Gaels at Miller Ranch Stadium in Pocatello. After dropping the first game 15-9, the Bengals bounced back with a five-inning 12-4 win
In a game defined by early fireworks and relentless momentum, the Idaho State Bengals secured a commanding 12–4 victory over Saint Mary's at Miller Ranch in Pocatello, Idaho. The Bengals wasted no time in asserting their dominance, as a three-run first inning set the stage for an explosive offensive performance that continued unabated through the early innings.
Idaho State jumped out to an early lead, with the bats coming alive immediately in the opener. A surge in the first inning, powered by a pair of bombs by Gracie Smith and Alyssa Yee, putting the Bengals up 3-0 over the Gaels.
In the second inning, Idaho State's offense truly caught fire, unleashing a five-run outburst that shifted the momentum permanently in the Bengals' favor. The frame opened with Kate Hogan drawing an early walk that put her on base and set the stage for the inning's onslaught. Capitalizing on that opportunity, Gracie Smith drove a sharp grounder through the gap, sparking the rally with an RBI that put Idaho State firmly ahead.
The barrage continued as Ava Brown stepped up next, delivering a solid hit that drove in another run. The momentum reached a fever pitch when Alyssa Yee came to the plate; with a powerful swing, she sent a deep drive soaring into the outfield, extending the Bengal lead to 8-1 and energizing the crowd.
Idaho State's hitters consistently delivered throughout the game, with the third and fourth innings contributing additional runs that ultimately sealed the victory. Even when faced with a challenging moment in the third inning, the team's resilience shone with the defense stepping up to hold the Gaels to just three runs.
Defensively, Idaho State was impressive. The Bengals showcased flawless fielding, recording no errors and not allowing the Gaels to gain any momentum.
Headed into the bottom of the 4th, the Bengals needed a few more runs to secure the 'mercy-rule' win over the Gaels. Jaden Moore got the Bengals going, reaching on an error. Rebecca Quinn then stepped up and hit the 2nd home run of her career, a two run blast to extend the lead to 11-4.
With two outs, needing one run to pass the 8 run mark, Smith took care of business, again, hammering a ball over the center field wall, scoring the 12th run of the game and putting the Bengals over the 8 run mark.
Aguinaga and the Bengal defense forced the Gaels three up and three down to close out the game and the win.
The Bengals are back at Miller Ranch tomorrow at 2:00 PM MT for the 'rubber-game' of the series
