POCATELLO, Idaho - Alyssa Yee went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, but Idaho State dropped the series finale to San Diego 5-3 on Saturday at Reggie Smith Softball Complex, falling to 18-11 on the season. The Bengals still claimed the three-game series two games to one after sweeping Friday's doubleheader.
San Diego 5, Idaho State 3
Idaho State came out swinging in the first inning, putting two runners on with a Yee double to left center and a Brown single to center. The threat was erased when Groves lined into a double play, leaving Yee stranded at third.
San Diego took a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo home run to deep center. Idaho State challenged whether the batter touched first base while rounding the bases, but the call was confirmed after video review. The Bengals responded in the third, tying the game at 1-1. Kennedy Dudley drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a Navarrete sacrifice bunt. Yee then singled to left field to score Dudley, with Yee advancing to second on the throw. Idaho State kept the inning alive with a Brown walk and a Groves fielder's choice, but left runners at second and third after a Day walk loaded the bases and Kearns fouled out to end the threat.
The Bengals grabbed the lead in the fourth. Dudley was hit by pitch and Navarrete followed with a two-run double to left center to score Dudley and make it 2-1. Yee then doubled to deep center to score Navarrete and extend the Idaho State advantage to 3-1.
San Diego answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a lead it would not relinquish, capped by a three-run home run. Riley Wickum entered in relief and kept San Diego off the board for the remainder of the game, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings.
Idaho State was retired in order in the fifth by the San Diego relief pitcher, who then closed out the game without allowing a run over the final three innings. The Bengals put a runner on in the sixth and had a Brown walk in the seventh but could not generate the rally needed to close the gap.
Yee was the offensive standout, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, accounting for two of the team's three runs. Navarrete added a double and an RBI in the fourth inning. Wickum was strong in relief, retiring all eight batters she faced while allowing just one hit batter across 2.2 innings.
Series Wrapup
Idaho State took two of three from San Diego at Reggie Smith Softball Complex, outscoring the Toreros 9-7 across the three-game set and holding them to a .203 team batting average. The Bengals were dominant in the circle when it mattered most, posting a 2.10 staff ERA for the series with Kasey Aguinaga and Marley Goluskin each throwing complete games in the Friday doubleheader.
Aguinaga was untouchable in the series opener, spinning a seven-inning shutout with eight strikeouts and no walks, holding San Diego to five hits and a .200 average. Goluskin followed in the nightcap with a complete-game effort of her own, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out four. Riley Wickum provided 2.2 scoreless relief innings in the finale, allowing no hits and retiring eight of the ten batters she faced.
Offensively, Sydney Groves led the Bengals with a .417 average, five hits, and three RBI across the three games, including a two-run home run in the series opener. Alyssa Yee batted .333 with four hits and two RBI, delivering two doubles in the finale. Belle Navarrete hit .429 with two RBI, and Kira Day went .286 with a home run and two walks, scoring twice in the series. Olivia Robison was a force off the bench, going 2-for-5 in pinch-hit appearances across all three games.
Idaho State scored first in both of its wins and outscored San Diego 6-3 in the two victories. The Bengals' pitching held San Diego without a home run in Games 1 and 2, while the offense produced both of its series home runs in the Friday games as well.
