POCATELLO, Idaho – It's time for Big Sky Conference play and the Bengals are home taking on the Weber State Wildcats in a three-game series. Saturday March 28 will see the doubleheader with first pitch set for 1:00 PM MT. Then, game three on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 PM MT.
the ISU Football Alumni Team (FAT) will be out at Miller Ranch this weekend grilling up food for the Bengal fans in attendance.
The games broadcast on ESPN+ with Logan Kelso on the call, live stats will also be provided for each game.
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How to Follow
The Field
Idaho State Bengals
Weber State Wildcats
What to Watch
Rolling into the weekend
Idaho State enters the Weber State series at 23-13 overall, riding a five-game winning streak after taking two of three from Oregon State and sweeping Seattle U in three games last weekend. The Bengals are 10-2 at home this season and have won five straight at Miller Ranch Stadium, giving them a comfortable and familiar setting as they open a back-to-back series weekend against the Wildcats.
Brown setting the tone
Ava Brown has been one of Idaho State's most consistent producers all season, hitting .330 with 11 home runs, 33 RBI, and a .745 slugging percentage through 36 games. She has drawn two intentional walks on the season and leads the team in walks with 16, a sign of how opposing pitchers have chosen to navigate around her in the lineup. Brown has posted multiple RBI in eight games this season, including one four-RBI performance.
Day delivers in bunches
Kira Day continues to produce at an elite rate in limited appearances, hitting .328 with 9 home runs and 28 RBI in just 26 starts. Her .828 slugging percentage ranks among the best on the roster and her .429 on-base percentage reflects her ability to get on base consistently when inserted into the lineup. Day has posted multiple RBI in seven games this season, including one five-RBI and one four-RBI performance. Day leads the Big Sky Conference in both home runs per game and RBI per game.
Yee keeps it moving
Alyssa Yee leads Idaho State with 38 hits and 31 runs scored while hitting .349 with a .408 on-base percentage. She has added 10 doubles, two triples, and nine stolen bases, giving the Bengals a consistent threat at the top of the order who can beat teams with both contact and speed. Yee has scored two or more runs in multiple games this season and has been one of the most reliable table-setters in the Bengal lineup all season long.
Power from everywhere
Idaho State has hit 41 home runs through 36 games, spread across multiple players throughout the lineup. The Bengals are 9-2 when connecting on two or more home runs and 11-3 when hitting at least one. The team is hitting .307 as a team with a .530 slugging percentage, giving Idaho State multiple ways to generate runs from top to bottom on any given night.
Early leads, consistent results
Idaho State has been dominant when getting in front first. The Bengals are 21-1 when leading after four innings, 21-0 when leading after six, and 20-5 when scoring first. Conversely, they are 1-9 when trailing after four and 1-11 when trailing after six. Scoring in the first inning has also been a reliable indicator, with Idaho State going 14-3 in those contests. Establishing the lead early and protecting it has been the clearest formula for a Bengal win all season.
Goluskin and Aguinaga leading the circle
Marley Goluskin and Kasey Aguinaga remain the backbone of a staff that has posted a 4.00 team ERA across 222.1 innings. Goluskin leads with a 2.58 ERA in 62.1 innings, posting 49 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .239 average across 13 appearances. Aguinaga has thrown six complete games and carries a 3.14 ERA across 69.0 innings with a team-leading 8 wins and a .256 opponent average. Together they have combined for ten complete games and four shutouts on the season.
Protecting leads is paramount
When Idaho State establishes an advantage it has been nearly impossible to beat. The Bengals are 21-1 when leading after four innings, 21-2 when leading after five, and 21-0 when leading after six. Flipping that, Idaho State is 1-9 when trailing after four and 1-11 when trailing after six. Getting on the board early and staying in front has been the clearest formula for a Bengal win all season.
The long ball matters
Home runs have been central to Idaho State's success. The Bengals are 9-2 when connecting on two or more in a game and just 3-8 when they fail to go deep at all. With 41 home runs spread across the roster through 36 games, the power is not concentrated in one spot, but the lineup needs it to show up to win.
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 10-2 when scoring between six and nine. On the other side, they are 2-7 when held to two runs or fewer and 0-4 when held to one. Generating offense early and sustaining it through the lineup has been the difference between winning and losing all season.
Scoring first, winning games
Idaho State has been nearly unbeatable when drawing first blood. The Bengals are 20-5 when scoring first and just 3-8 when the opponent scores first, a gap that underscores how critical it is for Idaho State to set the tone early. Combined with 52 first-inning runs scored, the most productive frame on the season, getting on the board in the opening at-bat has been one of the program's most reliable formulas for a win.
Winning the hit column
When Idaho State out-hits its opponent, it wins. The Bengals are a perfect 19-0 when recording more hits than the opposing team and just 4-11 when out-hit. That correlation is as clean as any split in the data and puts a premium on the lineup sustaining pressure from top to bottom rather than relying on a single big inning.
Groves finding another gear
Sydney Groves leads the Big Sky Conference in home runs (11), total bases, and slugging percentage (.720), ranking among the national leaders in home runs. She has posted multiple hits in eight games, the most on the roster, and has driven in 34 runs on the season. Groves has become one of the most complete threats in the Bengal lineup from top to bottom.
Dominating the RBI column
Idaho State owns the top two spots in the Big Sky Conference RBI leaderboard, with Sydney Groves leading the conference at 34 and Ava Brown sitting second at 33. Kira Day adds 28 RBI from fifth on the list, and Alyssa Yee checks in at seventh with 24. Four players in the conference's top seven RBI producers coming from the same lineup reflects the kind of across-the-board offensive depth that makes Idaho State exceptionally difficult to game plan against.
Dominant offensively across the board
Idaho State leads the Big Sky Conference in batting average (.307), on-base percentage (.387), slugging percentage (.530), home runs (41), runs scored (216), RBI (200), doubles (68), and walks (110). The Bengals rank in the top 100 nationally in home runs, runs scored, and slugging percentage, making them one of the most productive offenses in the country at any level.
Aguinaga setting the standard
Kasey Aguinaga leads the Big Sky Conference with eight wins and six complete games. She has thrown six complete games across 69.0 innings with a 3.14 ERA, holding opponents to a .256 average. Aguinaga has been the innings anchor for a staff that has combined for ten complete games and four shutouts on the season.
Moore making the most of every opportunity
Jaden Moore leads the entire Big Sky Conference in batting average at .439 despite appearing in just 24 games and 10 starts this season. Moore also ranks third in the conference in OPS at 1.184 and fifth in slugging percentage at .707, putting her among the most productive hitters in the league relative to her opportunities. With 18 hits, five doubles, two home runs, and 11 RBI in limited action, Moore has given Idaho State a reliable and dangerous option whenever her number is called.
Owning the slugging leaderboard
Idaho State does not just lead the Big Sky Conference in slugging percentage as a team, it dominates the individual leaderboard as well. Four of the conference's top five slugging percentage spots belong to Bengal hitters, with Kira Day leading the conference at .828, Ava Brown third at .745, Sydney Groves fourth at .710, and Jaden Moore fifth at .707. No other program in the Big Sky comes close to that kind of concentration at the top of a single offensive category.
Utah State, Oregon State and Seattle
Idaho State went 5-2 over its last seven games, taking two of three from Oregon State and sweeping Seattle U in three games at Miller Ranch Stadium. Over the seven-game stretch the Bengals hit .297 as a team with 57 hits, 39 runs, and seven home runs, slugging .495 with 15 extra-base hits. Idaho State held opponents to a .229 batting average and outscored them 39-23 across the week.
Camryn McDonald was the offensive standout of the stretch, hitting .444 with eight hits, two home runs, and seven RBI across six games. Jaden Moore continued his strong play, batting .429 with nine hits, three doubles, one home run, and six RBI in seven appearances. Alyssa Yee hit .360 with nine hits, three doubles, a triple, and six RBI while adding three stolen bases. Belle Navarrete contributed a .350 average with seven hits and three doubles, and Ava Brown hit .348 with two home runs and five RBI while scoring seven runs. Idaho State scored eight first-inning runs during the stretch, the most productive frame of the week, and picked up a walk-off extra-inning win over Seattle U on March 21 to open the series.
In the circle, Marley Goluskin was the most efficient arm of the week, posting a 1.20 ERA across 11.2 innings with nine strikeouts while allowing just two earned runs in two starts. Lizzy Tommasini had an encouraging stretch as well, going 2-0 with a 2.10 ERA across 10.0 innings and nine strikeouts in three appearances. As a staff Idaho State pitchers combined for a 3.02 ERA across 51.0 innings with 31 strikeouts and held opponents to a .229 batting average over the seven-game run.
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.
Award Winners
- 2/9/2026 – Jenna Kearns – Player of the Week
- 03/09/2026 – Riley Wickum – Pitcher of the Week
- 03/09/2026 Kira Day - Player of the Week
- 03/16/2026 – Kasey Aguinaga – Pitcher of the Week
- 03/16/2026 – Sydney Groves – Player of the Week
- 03/23/2026 – Camryn McDonald – Player of the Week
- 03/23/2026 – Marley Goluskin – Pitcher of the Week
Scouting the Wildcats
Weber State enters the series at 9-25 overall under head coach Kristin Delahoussaye, carrying a one-game losing streak after falling to Utah 0-13 on March 24. The Wildcats are 2-1 at home and 4-12 in true road games, with the bulk of their schedule played away from Ogden. Weber State has shown occasional ability to compete, taking two of three from Oregon State in Corvallis on March 13-14 and winning two of three against LMU at home last weekend. The Wildcats have been outscored 216-140 through 34 games.
Weber State is hitting .280 as a team with 140 runs scored and a .376 slugging percentage through 34 games. The offense is led by Jordan McMahon, who tops the Big Sky Conference in hits and is batting .422 with 49 hits, four triples, and a .500 slugging percentage in 34 starts. Apollonia Maldonado provides the most power in the lineup, hitting .361 with four home runs, 28 RBI, and a .590 slugging percentage. Sadie Kirk adds a .306 average with nine doubles and a .390 on-base percentage, and Taegan Smith contributes .300 with four doubles, two triples, one home run, and 14 RBI. As a team the Wildcats have drawn 79 walks but have been held to nine home runs in 34 games. Opponents have attempted 47 stolen bases against Weber State catchers, going 47-for-56 on the season.
On the mound Weber State carries a 6.26 team ERA across 211.1 innings with 83 strikeouts and 128 walks allowed, the highest walk total Idaho State will have faced from any opponent this season. Kendall Freidinger leads the staff with a 5.31 ERA in 59.1 innings across 17 appearances, posting 28 strikeouts while allowing 17 home runs. Cali McCraw has made 15 appearances with a 5.67 ERA in 42.0 innings, and Raina Navarro has struggled in nine starts with a 6.22 ERA and 29 walks allowed across 41.2 innings. Opponents are hitting .326 against the Weber State staff with 46 home runs allowed in 34 games, and the Wildcats have committed 39 errors for a .956 team fielding percentage. With 128 walks allowed on the season the Weber State pitching staff has averaged nearly four free passes per game, a trend that Idaho State's patient lineup is well positioned to exploit.
On Deck
Big Sky Conference play continues next week as the Portland State Vikings come to Pocatello for a three-game series April 3-4.
