POCATELLO, Idaho — Idaho State exploded offensively on Saturday afternoon, crushing Northern Colorado 16–8 in the series finale at Miller Ranch Stadium. The Bengals used a nine-run third inning and four home runs to seal a dominant win in just five innings.
After spotting Northern Colorado a 3–0 lead in the top of the first, ISU wasted little time responding. A three-run homer by Gracie Smith and a two-run shot by Ava Brown powered a six-run second inning. But it was the third frame that turned into a full-scale offensive eruption.
The bottom of the third began with a leadoff walk to catcher Jenna Kearns, and Belle Navarrete immediately cashed in with a two-run homer to left — her first of the game — giving Idaho State an 8–4 lead. From there, the Bengals launched a full-scale offensive eruption.
After a pitching change, Gracie Smith laid down a bunt single and promptly stole second, advancing to third on a throwing error. Alyssa Yee followed with an RBI double to right center, scoring Smith. Ava Brown then singled through the left side to bring in Yee, setting up Olivia Robison, who blasted a two-run homer to right center — her second home run of the series — pushing the lead to 12–4.
Kennedy Dudley kept the rally alive with a double to left center. After Camryn McDonald lined out, Rebecca Quinn reached on an infield single, moving Dudley to third. Kearns grounded out to third, bringing home Dudley to make it 13–4.
Then came the exclamation point: Belle Navarrete ripped a ball down the left-field line and turned on the jets. As the ball kicked off the corner and rolled deep into foul territory, Navarrete flew around the bases, sliding safely into home for an inside-the-park two-run homer — her second long ball of the inning — and extending the Bengals' lead to 15–4.
In total, Idaho State piled up eight hits in the inning — including two home runs, two doubles, and two singles — and capitalized on a UNC error and wild pitch. It was a showcase of both power and speed that buried the Bears and set the tone for a runaway victory.
Robison finished 2-for-2 with 3 RBIs, while Brown, Smith, and Navarrete all drove in at least three runs. The Bengals tallied 15 hits as every starter reached base, including multi-hit efforts from Kennedy Dudley and Alyssa Yee.
Northern Colorado made one last push in the fourth, with Katie Walling belting a three-run homer, but it wasn't enough to overcome ISU's offensive onslaught.
Riley Wickum earned the win in relief, throwing two innings after Kasey Aguinaga's early exit. Megan Meracle closed out the fifth to cap the mercy-rule win.
Media Highlights
ISU vs UNC series recap
Idaho State swept the three-game Big Sky series against Northern Colorado, winning by a combined score of 35–17 and improving to 24–13 overall.
The sweep keeps Idaho State firmly in contention atop the Big Sky standings.
Following a dominant three-game sweep over Northern Colorado, several Idaho State players stood out with exceptional performances across the board.
Offensive Leaders
Batting Average
Jenna Kearns and Belle Navarrete both led the team with a scorching .714 batting average (5-for-7), while Olivia Robison followed closely behind at .625 (5-for-8).
Home Runs
Navarrete and Robison each homered twice during the series, with Navarrete's second being an inside-the-park home run. Gracie Smith and Ava Brown also added one home run apiece to power Idaho State's offensive barrage.
Runs Batted In (RBI)
Ava Brown drove in a team-high seven runs across the series. Robison and Navarrete were right behind with six RBIs each, helping the Bengals outscore the Bears 35–17 over the three games.
Runs Scored
Alyssa Yee crossed the plate seven times to lead all players in runs scored. Smith scored five runs, while Rebecca Quinn tallied four.
Slugging Percentage
Navarrete led all hitters with a staggering 1.857 slugging percentage. Kearns posted a 1.571 mark, and Robison followed at 1.375, underscoring the team's power surge throughout the series.
Stolen Bases
Gracie Smith went a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts, while Yee and Brooke Peterson each added one.
Pitching Leaders
Earned Run Average (ERA)
Freshman Megan Meracle turned in a flawless outing with one inning of scoreless relief to post a 0.00 ERA. Lizzy Tommasini recorded a 3.00 ERA over seven innings in a complete-game win, and Kasey Aguinaga followed with a 5.00 ERA across two appearances.
Strikeouts
Tommasini led the staff with four strikeouts, while Meracle struck out two in her lone inning. Aguinaga and Riley Wickum each added one strikeout to round out the group.
Wins
Each of the three wins was earned by a different Bengal: Tommasini, Aguinaga, and Wickum all picked up a victory during the series sweep.
Fielding Leaders
Among players with at least four defensive chances, Belle Navarrete led the way with nine error-free plays. She was joined by Ava Brown, Gracie Smith, and Alyssa Yee, each of whom recorded perfect fielding percentages for the series.
Bengal Bites
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The Bengals put on a show in game three of the series.
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Belle Navarretes two home runs in the third inning was the first time in program history a Bengal has had two home runs in the same inning.
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Ava Brown is now one home run away from tying for 3rd all-time in single season home runs
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The Bengals tied the team record with 9 runs scored in the 3rd inning of the win
On Deck
The Bengals are back on the road this next week. First, ISU travels to Logan to take on the Utah State Aggies in the third game of the year between the two teams. Then, the Orange and Black are in Ogden for a rivalry series with the Weber State Wildcats with Big Sky Conference implications on the line.
