POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State softball closed the Fresno State Kickoff Classic on Sunday morning with an 8-0, five-inning win over SIUE at Margie Wright Diamond, wrapping up the weekend with a strong all-around performance. The victory moved the Bengals to 3-2 on the young season and capped a 3-0 mark in neutral-site games during the tournament.
Game 5, Idaho State 8 - SIUE 0 (5 innings)
How it Happened
Idaho State struck quickly in the bottom of the first inning. Jenna Kearns opened the game with a triple and came home moments later, and Sydney Groves followed with a two-run home run to center field to give the Bengals an early 2-0 advantage.
The Bengals broke the game open in the third inning, capitalizing on traffic and defensive miscues. Ava Brown reached to start the frame and Camryn McDonald drew a walk before Alyssa Yee doubled to left to drive in a run. An SIUE error brought home another, and a double steal capped the inning as Chloe McGreevey swiped second base while Yee stole home to push the lead to 5-0.
Idaho State added another run in the fourth when Renay Chavez and Kearns singled, Brown was intentionally walked, and Groves delivered an RBI single through the infield.
The run rule was secured in the fifth. Kennedy Dudley and Rebecca Quinn singled to start the inning, Kearns lined an RBI single to right, and Brown lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home the final run.
In the circle, Kasey Aguinaga earned the win, throwing 4.2 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit.
Bengal Bites
• Jenna Kearns went 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI, and two runs scored
• Sydney Groves finished with two hits and drove in three runs, including a first-inning home run
• Alyssa Yee added an RBI double and stole home
• Renay Chavez recorded a multi-hit game and scored twice
• Idaho State finished with 10 hits and committed no errors
On Deck
The Bengals head south next week to UTEP for the Dr. Diana Natalicio Memorial Tournament. Idaho State will face off against UTEP, Minnesota and Oklahoma over the weekend.
Fresno State Kickoff Classic Tournament Recap
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.
