EUGENE, Ore. — Idaho State's historic season came to a close Saturday afternoon as the Bengals fell to Saint Mary's 3-1 in an elimination game at Jane Sanders Stadium, ending the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance with a 37-20 final record.

"Just really proud of our group," head coach Andrew Rich said. "We accomplished a lot and represented Idaho State University really well. We've done a lot to put Idaho State softball on the map, and I'm really proud of that, and of this group of seniors."

Kasey Aguinaga started in the circle for Idaho State and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, retiring three straight after the Gaels loaded the bases without a hit to keep the game scoreless. Saint Mary's broke through in the second inning when a hit batter and a sacrifice bunt set the table, and Hannah Ferguson drove home the first run of the game with a ball to third base to put the Gaels ahead 1-0.

Aguinaga kept Idaho State within striking distance into the third before giving way to Riley Wickum, who inherited a 1-0 deficit and worked through a pair of stressful innings. The Bengal defense twice bailed out the pitching staff, including a play at the plate in the fifth inning and a diving stop by Kennedy Dudley down the left field line that kept the score at 1-0.

Idaho State managed just one hit through five innings against Saint Mary's starter Madeline Haun. That changed in the sixth when Olivia Robison came to the plate as a pinch hitter with one out and no hits on the board for the Bengals. Robison sent the fourth pitch she saw over the left-center field wall for a home run, her fourth of the season, tying the game at 1-1. "I was talking to Coach Johnson before I went up there, and I was just like, 'I'm going to go have fun,'" Robison said. "I took a moment before I stepped in the box, and I was like, 'Okay, this could possibly be one of my last at-bats ever,' so I soaked it all in and just trusted myself."

Saint Mary's answered in the seventh. Wickum walked two batters and allowed two runs to score, giving the Gaels a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish. Wickum took the loss, finishing with 3.2 innings pitched and allowing two earned runs.

Idaho State finished with two hits on the day, the other belonging to Sydney Groves, and left three runners on base. The Bengals struck out six times against Saint Mary's pitching.

Rich reflected on what the program accomplished and what comes next. "The expectation now is to be here every year," he said. "They've set a new standard. We've set the program's record for wins in back-to-back years; we've won multiple conference championships; we've won a tournament championship. Now we have to get back here and come win a game here. This is just the start of what we're going to do at Idaho State."

Senior Olivia Robison spoke to what the experience meant. "It's hard to leave being upset when you know this is the farthest that the team has ever gone for Idaho State," she said. "It's been such a blessing to be able to be here."

Fellow senior Sydney Groves echoed the sentiment. "I'm just really grateful to have made the jump to come over to Idaho State," Groves said. "I've met my best friends and had the most fun year of collegiate softball."