POCATELLO, Idaho – After a 3-2 start at the Fresno State Kickoff Classic, the Bengals are back on the Diamond taking on games hosted by UTEP and New Mexico State this weekend. The Bengals will face national powers and solid programs as they continue to press towards the 2026 Big Sky regular season.
How to Follow
The Field
Idaho State Bengals – ISU Gamenotes
UTEP
New Mexico State
Oklahoma - OU Gamenotes
Minnesota
RECAP - 2026 Fresno State Kickoff Classic
Idaho State finished the Fresno State Kickoff Classic with a 3-2 overall record, scoring 30 runs while allowing just 12 across five games. The Bengals opened the weekend with wins over SIUE before splitting a pair of defensive battles against host Fresno State, then closed the tournament with another shutout victory over SIUE.
Offensively, Idaho State hit .353 as a team with 42 hits and 25 RBI. The Bengals totaled 13 extra-base hits, including eight doubles, two triples, and three home runs.
Jenna Kearns led the Bengals at the plate, hitting .625 with 10 hits, seven runs scored, four doubles, and two triples. Ava Brown posted a .417 average and drove in a team-high eight runs while adding two home runs and five walks. Renay Chavez hit .455 and scored four runs, while Sydney Groves added five hits, three RBI, and a home run.
In the circle, Idaho State posted a 2.80 team ERA across 25 innings. Kasey Aguinaga went 2-0 with a 0.72 ERA, allowing just one earned run in 9.2 innings. Riley Wickum threw five scoreless innings in her lone appearance, and Marley Goluskin and Lizzy Tommasini combined to provide key innings against Fresno State.
Idaho State also turned in a strong defensive weekend, committing just one error across five games.
Heading into 2026
Idaho State Bengals softball enters the 2026 season with significant momentum after one of the strongest campaigns in program history. The Bengals finished 37–17 overall and 13–2 in conference play in 2025, showcasing consistency across all environments with an 8–5 home record, 15–8 mark on the road, and 14–4 record at neutral sites. Idaho State paired offensive firepower with pitching depth throughout the season, dominating the Big Sky regular season crown.
Offensively, the Bengals return nearly their entire core from a lineup that produced a .311 team batting average, 72 home runs, and 316 RBI in 2025. Senior Ava Brown headlines the group after a dominant season at the plate, batting .371 with 25 home runs and 66 RBI, serving as the centerpiece of a lineup that consistently applied pressure. Fellow senior Alyssa Yee was equally impactful, hitting .386 while scoring 59 runs and driving in 42 more, reaching base at a high clip and setting the table at the top of the order.
Idaho State also brings back a deep group of experienced hitters throughout the lineup. Senior Gracie Smith turned in a .398 batting average with 12 home runs, while senior Olivia Robison provided consistent production in the middle of the order, batting .308 with 33 RBI. Junior Camryn McDonald and junior Jenna Kearns offer stability and versatility defensively while contributing key offensive innings, and senior Kennedy Dudley remains a dependable presence after starting nearly every game a season ago.
The Bengals further bolster an already potent offense with the addition of senior Sydney Groves, who transferred to Idaho State after three standout seasons at Boise State. Groves brings extensive Division I production and postseason experience, highlighted by NFCA All-Pacific Region First Team honors in 2024 and multiple All-Mountain West selections. As a junior in 2025, she appeared in 50 games with 40 starts and hit .336 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI, following a sophomore campaign in which she blasted 18 home runs and drove in a Boise State single-season record 57 RBI. A former D1Softball National Player of the Week and three-time Mountain West Player of the Week, Groves adds immediate power, experience, and leadership to an already deep Bengal lineup.
In the circle, Idaho State returns a fully intact pitching staff from 2025, a rarity entering a new season. The Bengals posted a 3.64 team ERA last year and logged more than 348 innings, with four pitchers throwing at least 68 innings apiece. Senior Kasey Aguinaga led the staff with 96.1 innings pitched, while sophomore Megan Meracle emerged as a strikeout presence with 72 punchouts in 83.1 innings. Redshirt sophomore Lizzy Tommasini and senior Riley Wickum added valuable depth, with each making double-digit starts. Junior Marley Goluskin also returns after missing time due to injury, bringing back proven experience after a 2024 season in which she posted a 9–7 record with a 3.25 ERA and earned Second Team All-Big Sky honors. With additional innings returning from Kaliann Scoresby and Josslin Law, Idaho State enters 2026 with both experience and flexibility in the pitching rotation.
Defensively, the Bengals showed consistency behind the plate and in the field, turning 24 double plays and holding opponents to a .281 batting average. That balance between offense, pitching, and defense allowed Idaho State to control games late and succeed in close contests throughout the season.
Preseason Honors
The Big Sky Conference released its 2026 preseason softball awards, and Idaho State Bengals softball was well represented following its 2025 regular-season championship run. Voted on by the league's six head coaches, Idaho State led the conference with five preseason All-Conference selections and senior outfielder Ava Brown was named the Big Sky Preseason Most Valuable Player after a historic season at the plate.
Brown was joined on the preseason All-Conference team by Jenna Kearns, Alyssa Yee, Kasey Aguinaga, and Lizzy Tommasini, giving the Bengals representation across every phase of the game. The five selections tied for the most in the league and reflected Idaho State's balance of offensive production, pitching depth, and veteran experience heading into the 2026 season.
Preseason Poll
The Big Sky Conference preseason coaches' poll placed Idaho State Bengals softball at the top heading into the 2026 season, as the Bengals were picked to finish first among the league's six programs. Idaho State earned five first-place votes and a league-best 25 points after capturing the 2025 regular-season title.
Weber State was selected second in the poll following its Big Sky Tournament championship, while Sacramento State finished third after receiving the remaining first-place vote. Northern Colorado, Portland State, and Montana rounded out the preseason order as Idaho State enters the year as the league favorite.
Big Sky Players/Pitchers of the Week
Idaho State Slugger Jenna Kearns was awarded the first Big Sky Player of the week award in the 2026 after her performance at the 2026 Fresno State Kickoff Classic.
Award Winners
- 2/9/2026 – Jenna Kearns – Player of the Week
Scouting the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers softball enters the matchup with a 1-4 overall record through the opening weekend of the SDSU Season Kickoff, playing all five games at a neutral site in San Diego. Minnesota picked up an 8-0 win over Loyola Chicago, while its losses came against Miami (OH) twice, San Diego State, and Kentucky, including a five-inning run-rule setback to the Wildcats. All four losses have come against established programs, and the Gophers have yet to play a true home game this season.
Offensively, Minnesota is hitting .222 as a team, scoring 14 runs on 26 hits across five games. Jessa Snippes has been the most productive bat in the lineup early, leading the team with a .400 average and the Gophers' lone home run, driving in four runs. Cassie Johnson and Lucy Hooper have also been regular fixtures in the lineup, while Minnesota has shown patience at the plate with 13 walks and four hit batters. The Gophers have struggled to consistently cash in opportunities, leaving 33 runners on base and producing just three extra-base hits as a team.
In the circle, Minnesota carries a 4.83 team ERA through 29 innings. Sydney Schwartz has been the most effective arm, posting a 2.92 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 12 innings, while Macy Richardson has handled the largest workload with three starts. Opponents are hitting .267 against the Gopher pitching staff and have capitalized on extra-base opportunities, including three home runs. Defensively, Minnesota has been solid overall with a .964 fielding percentage, though it has yet to turn a double play this season. The Gophers are led by head coach Piper Ritter, now in her fourth season at the helm after previously serving 13 years as the program's pitching coach.
Scouting the UTEP Miners
UTEP Miners softball enters the matchup coming off a 3-3 showing at the UTEP Invitational, playing all six games at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex in El Paso. The Miners opened the weekend with losses to Utah Valley and St. Thomas, then responded with back-to-back wins over UT Arlington in a doubleheader, followed by a 10-5 win over Utah Valley. UTEP closed the tournament with a five-inning loss to UMass Lowell. All six games were played at home, where UTEP has been involved in several high-scoring contests.
Offensively, UTEP has been one of the more productive lineups early in the season, hitting .327 as a team with 41 runs on 52 hits. Iliana Munoz has been a catalyst in the middle of the order, batting .500 with two home runs and six runs scored, while Marissa Burchard and Camrynn Guthrie have also provided consistent power, combining for four home runs and 12 RBI. The Miners have shown depth throughout the lineup, posting nine home runs and 12 doubles through six games, and carrying a team on-base percentage of .417. UTEP has also been aggressive on the bases, attempting seven steals.
In the circle, UTEP holds a 9.05 team ERA, allowing 57 runs in 41 innings. Tatyana Vega has anchored the staff with a 3-0 record and 20 innings pitched, while the remainder of the staff has worked through early-season growing pains, issuing 37 walks and allowing eight home runs. Defensively, the Miners have been solid overall with a .976 fielding percentage and three double plays turned, though opponents have taken advantage of extra base runners. UTEP is led by head coach T.J. Hubbard, the 2018 WAC Coach of the Year, now in his fifth season guiding the program after previously engineering a rapid turnaround at Utah Valley.
Scouting the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners softball enters the matchup at 3-1 overall following a strong opening weekend in Arizona. Oklahoma opened the season with a 2-1 win over Arizona State in Tempe, then went 2-1 at the Candrea Classic in Tucson with wins of 21-3 in five innings and 5-4 over No. 17/18 Arizona, with the lone setback coming in an 11-6 loss to the Wildcats. All four games were played on the road, with three coming against a ranked Arizona squad.
Offensively, Oklahoma has been explosive through four games, batting .376 as a team while scoring 34 runs on 44 hits. The Sooners have already produced 15 home runs and 34 RBI, with multiple hitters posting slugging percentages above 1.200. Gabbie Garcia, Allyssa Parker, Kasidi Pickering, and Kendall Wells have each delivered early power, while Oklahoma has paired its power production with plate discipline, drawing 22 walks and being hit by pitch eight times. Despite the aggressive scoring output, the Sooners have left 32 runners on base, an indication of both traffic and continued upside as the lineup settles.
In the circle, Oklahoma owns a 3.19 team ERA across 24.2 innings, holding opponents to a .196 batting average. Audrey Lowry has been the most effective arm early, allowing one earned run in 15 innings with six strikeouts. Defensively, the Sooners have been sharp, posting a .981 fielding percentage with just two errors and no double plays turned yet. Oklahoma is led by NFCA Hall of Fame head coach Patty Gasso, now in her 31st season, with the program entering the year as the defending four-time national champion and one of the most decorated programs in NCAA softball history.
Scouting the New Mexico State Aggies
New Mexico State Aggies softball enters the matchup at 3-3 overall following its opening homestand at the NM State Invitational, with all six contests played at the NM State Softball Complex in Las Cruces. The Aggies opened the weekend with wins over UMass Lowell and UT Arlington, dropped a pair of games to St. Thomas, split two matchups with Utah Valley, and closed the weekend with a loss to UT Arlington. All results to date have come at home, where New Mexico State has been involved in several high-scoring games.
Offensively, the Aggies have been productive early, hitting .376 as a team with 48 runs on 62 hits through six games. Faith Aragon has been a standout at the top of the lineup, batting .545 with two home runs, five RBI, and eight runs scored, while Lauren Garcia has added a .471 average with two home runs and eight RBI. Devin Elam has provided significant power, launching four home runs and driving in nine runs, as New Mexico State has totaled 11 home runs and nine doubles. The Aggies have also been aggressive on the bases, going 7-for-7 on stolen base attempts and putting consistent pressure on opposing defenses.
In the circle, New Mexico State carries a 7.62 team ERA, allowing 65 runs in 37.2 innings. Taryn Bennett has been the most effective arm early, posting a 2.63 ERA in limited action, while Jaileen Mancha and Zantelle Rodriguez have logged the majority of the innings. Defensively, the Aggies are fielding .913 with seven double plays turned, though opponents have capitalized on extra-base hits and big innings. New Mexico State is led by interim head coach Benet Higgs, now in her third season with the program, bringing a defensive background as the Aggies navigate the 2026 season under new leadership.
On Deck
Next Week, the Bengals are back in the Mountain West, heading to Las Vegas to take on the UNLV Rebel Classic Feb 19-22. Idaho State will face off against host UNLV, Utah Valley, Valparaiso and Merrimack
