POCATELLO, Idaho – At long last, the Roaring Bengals are back home at Miller Ranch Stadium for the 2026 Orange and Black Classic presented by Direct Communications. Idaho State will host Maine and Southern Utah over 4 days with the Bengals playing in six games.
All eight games of the classic will be 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 – ISU Gamenotes
Southern Utah
Maine
What to Watch
Home Sweet Home
Idaho State opens its home slate for the first time in 2025-26, bringing a 10-10 record to Pocatello after 20 games entirely away from home or at neutral sites. The Bengals have gone 8-5 at neutral sites and now look to carry that experience into their own ballpark against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds in the first game of the tournament Thursday at 2:00 PM.
Brown sets the tone
Ava Brown has been Idaho State's most dangerous hitter through 20 games, leading the Bengals with 8 home runs, 22 RBI, and a .839 slugging percentage. She has reached base safely in eight consecutive games and has drawn two intentional walks, a sign of how opposing pitchers have chosen to navigate around her in the lineup.
Day delivers in bunches
Kira Day has made the most of her opportunities, hitting .357 with 6 home runs and 19 RBI in just 12 starts. Her 1.071 slugging percentage leads the team and her longest hitting streak of seven games underscores how locked in she has been when inserted into the lineup. Day has posted multiple RBI in five games, including a five-RBI performance this season.
Kearns keeps it moving
Jenna Kearns leads Idaho State with 22 hits and owns a .607 slugging percentage behind five doubles, two triples, and two home runs. She has reached base in 10 consecutive games at her longest streak and leads the team in multiple-hit games with five such efforts through 20 contests.
Power from everywhere
Idaho State has hit 25 home runs through 20 games, spread across eight different players. The Bengals are 6-2 when connecting on two or more home runs and have hit .294 as a team, giving the lineup multiple ways to produce runs on any given night.
Early leads, consistent results
Idaho State has been at its most dominant when establishing control quickly. The Bengals are 9-0 when leading after four innings and 9-0 when leading after six, making the first few frames critical to the outcome. Idaho State has also scored in the first inning in 11 of 20 games, going 8-3 in those contests.
Goluskin leads the circle
Marley Goluskin has emerged as the staff's sharpest arm, posting a 3.14 ERA across 35.2 innings with a team-high 26 strikeouts. She has held opponents to a .252 batting average, thrown two complete games and one shutout, and has not allowed a home run all season. Her strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.86 gives the Bengals a reliable option to keep opposing lineups off balance.
Protecting leads is paramount
When Idaho State establishes an advantage, it has been nearly impossible to beat. The Bengals are 9-0 when leading after four innings, 9-1 when leading after five, and 9-0 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.
The long ball matters
Home runs have been central to Idaho State's success. The Bengals are 6-2 when connecting on two or more in a game and just 1-5 when they fail to go deep. With 25 home runs spread across eight players through 20 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 3-0 when scoring 10 or more runs and have gone a combined 7-2 when scoring six or more. On the other side, they are 0-6 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.
2026 Oregon Classic
Idaho State finished the Oregon Classic with a 2-3 record, going 2-2 in neutral-site contests and 0-1 in true road games.
Over five games in Eugene, the Bengals hit .264 as a team with 33 hits, 23 runs, and eight home runs. Idaho State slugged .552 for the tournament and recorded 11 extra-base hits.
Kira Day led the offensive surge, batting .462 with six hits, four home runs, and 10 RBI while posting a 1.462 slugging percentage. Ava Brown also hit .462 with six hits, two home runs, and a 1.000 slugging percentage. Jenna Kearns added five hits and scored four runs, while Alyssa Yee collected five hits, including two doubles, a triple, and a home run, driving in five runs.
Idaho State went 2-0 in games when hitting two or more home runs.
In the circle, Marley Goluskin posted a 1.27 ERA across 11.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs while earning one win. Lizzy Tommasini went 1-0 with a complete-game victory, and Riley Wickum and Kasey Aguinaga combined for 13.2 innings of relief and starting work during the weekend.
As a staff, Idaho State pitchers recorded 17 strikeouts over 30.2 innings and held opponents to a .307 batting average.
The Bengals out-hit opponents in both tournament victories and scored 10 or more runs once during the five-game stretch.
Idaho State now sits at 2-3 in neutral-site contests this season and 0-1 in extra-inning games.
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
Scouting the Thunderbirds
Southern Utah enters the tournament at 9-12 overall under seventh-year head coach Don Don Williams, who led the program to a third-place WAC regular-season finish and a second consecutive WAC tournament appearance in 2025. The Thunderbirds have been inconsistent away from home, posting a 1-5 record in true road games and a 6-7 mark at neutral sites. Southern Utah has won two straight, sweeping a doubleheader against Weber State on March 1 in Cedar City. The Thunderbirds face off against Utah Wednesday evening before heading to Pocatello.
Offensively, Southern Utah is hitting .240 as a team with 82 runs scored through 21 games. The lineup has produced just six home runs and carries a .315 team slugging percentage, making it a contact-and-situational offense rather than a power-driven one. Arianna Ramirez leads the club at .343 with one home run and nine RBI, while Taralyn Ollison checks in at .297 with four doubles and two triples. McKenzy Becerra provides the most pop in the order, batting .262 with three home runs and a team-high 13 RBI. The Thunderbirds have drawn 47 walks and been hit by pitch 22 times, giving them a .322 on-base percentage, but opponents have held Southern Utah to a .459 slugging percentage on the other side.
In the circle, Southern Utah carries a 5.17 team ERA across 136.2 innings with 72 strikeouts and 65 walks allowed. Hannah Duncan leads the staff with a 3.69 ERA in 43.2 innings, posting 28 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .287 average. Avery Nielson has made 12 appearances with a 4.74 ERA and one save across 31.0 innings, while Delaney Baker and Riley Nielson have each struggled, carrying ERAs of 5.63 and 5.87 respectively. The staff has allowed 15 home runs and has not thrown a shutout this season. Defensively, the Thunderbirds are fielding at a .955 with 27 errors, and opponents are running on them at a 22-for-27 on stolen base attempts.
Scouting the Black Bears
Maine arrives in Pocatello at 4-10 overall under second-year head coach Kimberly Stiles, who was named the program's seventh head coach in July 2024. Stiles doubled the team's win total in her first season in 2025 and guided Maine to its first America East series win since 2021. The Black Bears have yet to play a home game this season, going 1-5 in true road games and 3-5 at neutral sites. Maine has shown some recent life, winning three of four at the Battle at the Bay tournament February 20-21, but has dropped its last two games with results against Hampton and an incomplete final weekend bringing the overall record to 4-10 entering Pocatello.
Maine is hitting .227 as a team with 57 runs scored through 14 games, carrying a .309 team slugging percentage. The offense has produced just four home runs and leans heavily on patience at the plate, drawing 65 walks against 76 strikeouts. Keira Inman leads the lineup with a .333 average, three home runs, and a .733 slugging percentage in 12 starts. Francesca Guerrera and Eviana Robles provide the most consistent contact, hitting .277 and .300 respectively, while Annika Shearer has reached base at a .388 clip despite hitting just .250. First baseman Madison Hand leads the team with 12 walks but is hitting just .147, making the Black Bears a lineup that will take pitches and look to work counts rather than generate offense through power.
In the circle, Maine carries a 5.13 team ERA across 84.2 innings with 46 strikeouts and 67 walks allowed, a ratio that has created consistent pressure on the defense. Alysen Rieth is the staff workhorse, going 2-4 with a 4.12 ERA across 35.2 innings, posting one complete game and one shutout while holding opponents to a .287 average. Ava Zettlemoyer has been the sharpest arm with a 3.55 ERA in 23.2 innings and 17 strikeouts, though her 21 walks in that span remain a concern. Opponents are hitting .321 against the Maine staff with 11 home runs allowed, and the Black Bears have committed 17 errors in 14 games for a .958 fielding percentage. Opponents have gone 11-for-17 on stolen base attempts against Maine catchers.
On Deck
Next week, the Bengals hits the road, first with a mid-week clash at Utah State in Logan, followed by a three-game series on the west coast with San Diego
