POCATELLO, Idaho – After a successful week at the Orange and Black Classic and a road win at Utah State, the Bengals are back on the road this weekend as they head to California to take on the San Diego Toreros in a three-game series.
The games will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available for all three contests.
How to Follow
The Field
Idaho State Bengals – ISU Gamenotes
San Diego Toreros
What to Watch
Riding the Wave Idaho State enters the San Diego series riding a six-game winning streak, its longest of the 2026 season. The Bengals have outscored opponents 58-13 during the run, holding opposing offenses scoreless in the first two innings across all six games. After navigating a grueling non-conference schedule that included trips to Fresno, El Paso, Eugene, and Las Vegas, Idaho State takes it on the road at 16-10 and carrying its best momentum of the season.
Brown sets the tone Ava Brown remains Idaho State's most dangerous run producer, leading the Bengals with 28 RBI and nine home runs while batting .342 with an .836 slugging percentage. She has drawn two intentional walks this season, a sign of how opposing pitchers have chosen to navigate around her in the lineup, and leads the team with nine doubles.
Day delivers in bunches Kira Day has made the most of her opportunities, hitting .386 with eight home runs and 27 RBI in just 20 appearances. Her 1.045 slugging percentage leads the team and she has posted multiple RBI in numerous games this season. Day has reached base at a .462 clip, giving the Bengals one of the most productive bats in the lineup on a per-game basis.
Groves emerges Sydney Groves has developed into one of the most complete hitters in the lineup, leading the team with 26 hits and matching Brown with nine home runs while driving in 25 runs. Her .811 slugging percentage and .405 on-base percentage give the Bengals a middle-of-the-order presence that opposing pitchers cannot afford to overlook. Groves has started all 26 games and leads the team in at-bats, making her the engine that keeps the offense running on a daily basis.
Power from everywhere Idaho State has hit 32 home runs through 26 games, spread across eight different players. The Bengals are 7-2 when connecting on two or more home runs and have hit .313 as a team, giving the lineup multiple ways to produce runs on any given night.
Wickum steps up Riley Wickum has quietly become a third reliable weapon in the Idaho State rotation, going 3-2 with a 3.69 ERA across 30.1 innings. During the six-game winning streak, Wickum threw back-to-back complete games including a shutout, posting a 1.08 ERA across 13.0 innings. Her ability to eat innings and keep the Bengals in games gives the staff a depth that will be critical heading into conference play.
Protecting leads is paramount When Idaho State establishes an advantage, it has been nearly impossible to beat. The Bengals are 15-0 when leading after four innings, 15-1 when leading after five, and 15-0 when leading after six. Flipping that, Idaho State is 1-7 when trailing after four and 0-8 when trailing after six. Getting on the board early and staying in front has been the clearest formula for a Bengal win this season.
Runs equal results Idaho State's record tracks directly with how many runs it puts on the board. The Bengals are 7-0 when scoring 10 or more runs and have gone a combined 13-4 when scoring six or more. On the other side, they are 1-6 when held to two runs or fewer and 0-3 when held to one. Generating offense early and sustaining it through the lineup has been the difference between winning and losing all season.
2026 Orange and Black Classic, Utah State
Idaho State finished the Orange and Black Classic and its midweek trip to Utah State with a 6-0 record, going 5-0 at home and 1-0 on the road.
Over six games, the Bengals hit .384 as a team with 53 hits, 58 runs, and seven home runs. Idaho State slugged .674 for the stretch and recorded 19 extra-base hits.
Sydney Groves led the offensive surge, batting .500 with six hits, four home runs, and 11 RBI while posting a 1.583 slugging percentage. Kira Day also hit .438 with seven hits, two home runs, and eight RBI. Alyssa Yee collected seven hits and scored a team-high 11 runs, while Jenna Kearns drove in five runs and Ava Brown added six hits with five doubles and a home run.
Idaho State went 4-0 in games when scoring 10 or more runs.
In the circle, Marley Goluskin posted a 2.63 ERA across 8.0 innings, striking out 10 while earning two wins. Riley Wickum went 2-0 with a pair of complete games, including a shutout, and Lizzy Tommasini tossed a complete four innings allowing just one earned run.
As a staff, Idaho State pitchers recorded 30 strikeouts over 34.0 innings and held opponents to a .248 batting average.
The Bengals out-hit opponents in five of six contests and held opposing offenses scoreless in the first two innings across all six games.
Idaho State now sits at 5-0 at home and on a six-game winning streak heading into the San Diego series.
2026 Outlook
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. Kira Day and Riley Wickum were next after the 2026 Orange and Black Classic
Award Winners
- 2/9/2026 – Jenna Kearns – Player of the Week
- 3/9/2026 – Kira Day – Player of the Week
- 3/9/2026 – Riley Wickum – Pitcher of the Week
Scouting the Toreros
San Diego enters the series at 11-12 overall, going 6-6 at home and 0-4 in true road games. The Toreros have played the majority of their schedule at or near their home complex, hosting multiple tournaments at Reggie Smith Softball Complex in San Diego. Their most recent action came at the USD/SDSU Co-Host Tournament, where they went 2-3, including losses to Notre Dame and Grand Canyon before closing with a win over Princeton. San Diego is currently on a one-game winning streak after defeating Princeton 6-1 on March 9. MJ Knighten is in her sixth season leading the program.
The Toreros are hitting .282 as a team with 171 hits in 607 at-bats, posting a .384 slugging percentage with five home runs and 76 RBI through 23 games. Kaitlyn Wynia leads the lineup at .389 with 28 hits and seven doubles across 23 starts. Michelle Delgado is batting .388 with six doubles, one triple, one home run, and a .552 slugging percentage. Taylor Johnson has contributed 11 RBI with a .517 slugging percentage, while Shawnese Hogue-Lacy leads the team with 13 RBI. San Diego has drawn just 33 walks as a team and has been caught stealing in five of 14 attempts, limiting their effectiveness on the basepaths.
San Diego carries a team ERA of 3.77 across 154.0 innings, with Charlie Johnson leading the staff at 2.58 with a 6-3 record in 59.2 innings. Kaitlyn Bartlow has posted a 2.75 ERA across 43.1 innings with two complete games and two shutouts, also recording two saves. Kelsey Tadlock has allowed six home runs in 30.0 innings with a 5.83 ERA, and Alex Riggs has struggled in limited action at 5.76. The staff has issued 71 walks against 72 strikeouts, a near even ratio that indicates opponents have had consistent success making contact. San Diego holds a .965 fielding percentage with 25 errors, and opposing baserunners have been successful on 25 of 33 stolen base attempts against the Toreros.
Idaho State and San Diego have met six times all-time, with the series tied at 3-3. The Bengals are 1-2 in true road games against the Toreros and 2-1 in neutral-site matchups. Idaho State has won two of the last three meetings, including a 5-0 road victory on February 8, 2024, and a 10-2 run-rule win at a neutral site on February 22, 2025.
On Deck
Next week, Idaho State is home for 7 games with top opponents. First Utah State comes to Miller Ranch on Tuesday for another midweek battle, then Oregon State and Seattle U are in town, first Oregon State with a three-game series Thursday and Friday, then, Seattle with a three-game series Saturday and Sunday.
