EUGENE, Ore. — In the first NCAA Tournament game in program history, Idaho State scored first and led through three innings before a grand slam in the fourth inning proved to be the difference, as the Bengals fell to No. 14 Oregon 5-1 Friday night at Jane Sanders Stadium.

Idaho State (37-19) wasted little time making history. Alyssa Yee opened the game with a double to the left-center gap, and Ava Brown followed with an RBI single through the right side, plating Yee for the first run ever scored by the Bengals in NCAA Tournament play. The run also accounted for Brown's 54th RBI of the season.

Sophomore Marley Goluskin made the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament start in the circle and was sharp early, retiring the side in order in the first inning on two flyouts and a strikeout. She held Oregon scoreless through three frames despite working into trouble in the third, when she walked two and hit a batter with the bases loaded. A crucial double play, started by Belle Navarrete, flipped to Camryn McDonald and completed by Sydney Groves, erased the threat and kept the score at 1-0.

The Ducks broke through in the fourth. After a walk and a bunt single loaded the bases, Ayanna Shaw deposited a grand slam over the center-field wall to put Oregon in front 4-1. Goluskin was replaced following the home run, falling to 12-5 on the season after allowing four earned runs on four hits over three innings. Kasey Aguinaga entered and closed the inning with a diving stop by Navarrete and a reviewed force play, but the deficit had grown to five before the frame was complete.

Aguinaga settled in after the rough entry. The senior left-hander retired Oregon in order in the fifth, highlighted by a strikeout, a line drive caught by Kennedy Dudley, and a warning-track flyout corralled by Brown, and used three strikeouts over the sixth and seventh innings to keep the Bengals within striking distance. Aguinaga finished with 3.0 innings pitched, allowing one earned run on one hit while striking out two.

Idaho State managed five hits on the night. Both Brown and Yee recorded two-hit games, but the Bengals stranded five runners and struck out nine times. The Bengals were unable to convert in the third inning when Brown doubled and an intentional walk to Groves put two on with two outs, as Kearns struck out to end the threat.

Head coach Andrew Rich credited the effort despite the result. "Really proud of our group again tonight," Rich said. "This is the second time that we've come out here and played Oregon and played them tough both times. It would have been nice to put a couple more runs up on the board early and put a little more pressure on them, but just proud of the fight from the group and proud of how we came out."

Rich also praised the team's composure in its first-ever tournament setting. "You'd never known that was the first time that they were in a spot like that," he said. "They were ready for the moment and played like it."

For seniors Yee and Brown, the night carried personal significance. Both have been with the program for four years, and both spoke about the experience after the game. "We've been working so hard, and like me and Ava, we've been here all four years, and this has been a dream since we were both young," Yee said. "To play on the big stage and just play free and have fun, that was like the best part."

Brown echoed that sentiment. "It was really special, especially to come out here our senior year and just leave it all out there," Brown said. "Our whole team had so much fun, and just ready to play tomorrow."

Groves also drew the Bengals' only walk of the night, while freshman Chloe McGreevey entered in the sixth in right field and handled two pop-ups cleanly in her NCAA Tournament debut. Robison pinch-hit in the seventh with two outs but struck out to end the game.

Idaho State faces an elimination game Saturday in the losers' bracket of the Eugene Regional. The Bengals will face Saint Mary's in the elimination game at 4:30 PM PT at Jane Sanders Stadium.

Rich said the preparation for Saint Mary's begins immediately. "We'll go watch some film tonight, and tomorrow morning, get ready to go, and then get ready to attack them tomorrow," he said. "I'm excited to come back out and have another shot and hope for a long day tomorrow here at the field."

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