POCATELLO, Idaho - Idaho State softball dropped the series finale to Weber State 11-8 on Sunday at Miller Ranch Stadium but claimed the opening Big Sky Conference series two games to one, moving to 25-14 overall and 2-1 in conference play. The Bengals fell into a 7-0 hole after a seven-run Weber State first inning and mounted a spirited comeback that brought the deficit to 8-6 before the Wildcats pulled away in the sixth.
GAME RECAP: Weber State 11, Idaho State 8
Weber State erupted for seven runs in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of three singles, a walk, a wild pitch, a two-run double, and a three-run triple to build an early lead that Idaho State was unable to overcome. The Bengals responded with their most productive inning of the game in the second, cutting the deficit to 5-7 with a three-home-run frame. Moore led off with a solo shot to center, Dudley followed with a two-run home run to left, and Yee capped the rally with a two-run blast of her own to make it a two-run game.
Weber State extended its lead to 8-5 with a solo home run in the fourth, but Idaho State answered in the fifth when Brown delivered a sacrifice fly to score Yee and trim the deficit to 8-6. The Wildcats put the game away with three more runs in the sixth on a pair of home runs before the Bengals pushed across two final runs in the bottom half on a Day sacrifice fly and a Yee RBI single, setting the final at 11-8.
Yee finished 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBI. Moore and Dudley each homered and drove in runs. Meracle was effective in relief, striking out seven over five innings to keep the Bengals within striking distance.
• Idaho State wins the Big Sky Conference opening series over Weber State two games to one, improving to 25-14 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
• Alyssa Yee was the offensive force of the series, batting .750 with nine hits, four doubles, two home runs, and nine RBI across three games. She went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Sunday's finale.
• Jaden Moore batted .600 for the series with six hits, two home runs, and six RBI. Moore homered in all three games of the series. On the season, Moore leads the team with a .471 average and is batting .804 in slugging percentage across 27 appearances.
• Camryn McDonald batted .625 for the series with five hits and four RBI, including a home run in Game 2. McDonald is batting .388 on the season with three home runs and 15 RBI.
• Kennedy Dudley hit her first home run of the season in Game 3, a two-run shot in the second inning that was part of Idaho State's three-home-run rally.
• Idaho State hit seven home runs as a team across the three-game series, batting .420 with a .790 slugging percentage and scoring 27 runs against 18 allowed.
• Kasey Aguinaga was dominant in Game 1, allowing zero earned runs across six innings to earn the win. She is now 9-4 on the season with a 2.89 ERA across 75 innings pitched.
• Megan Meracle struck out seven batters over five innings of relief in Game 3, keeping the Bengals within striking distance throughout the contest.
• Sydney Groves leads the team in RBI with 35 and home runs with 12, batting .333 with a .709 slugging percentage through 39 games.
• Ava Brown is batting .325 with 11 home runs, 36 RBI, and 34 runs scored. Yee leads the team in hits (47), doubles (14), and runs scored (38).
ON DECK
Idaho State hosts Portland State in a Big Sky Conference series at Miller Ranch Stadium on Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4.
