POCATELLO, Idaho — At long last, the Bengals are dancing. The monkey is off their backs. They finally did it. However you want to say it, it all means the same thing. Idaho State is the 2026 Big Sky Conference tournament champion. 

Idaho State scored in each of its first four innings, sent Sacramento State's pitching staff to the mound five times, and won the 2026 Big Sky Softball Tournament Championship with a dominant 16-8 run-rule victory Thursday afternoon at Direct Communications Field at Miller Ranch Stadium. The Bengals advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

"It felt unreal in the moment, but it's extremely real and I'm extremely happy," Rich said. "To finally have this monkey off of our back, because we've been so close so many times, and to be able to finally say, 'Hey, we're going to the NCAA tournament,' is an unreal feeling."

Idaho State (37-18) finished the Big Sky Tournament with three consecutive run-rule victories, scoring in double digits in all three games. The Bengals battered four Sacramento State pitchers for 13 hits and drew eight walks, never allowing the Hornets to gain any lasting momentum despite Sacramento State scoring in every inning of the contest.

"We overwhelmed people this week," Rich said. "Three run rules and double digit runs in every game. It felt possible always, and it's nice to save our only sweep of the season for the conference tournament."

The Bengals wasted no time Thursday. Sacramento State struck first with two runs in the top of the first, but Idaho State answered with five in the bottom half. Yee drew a leadoff walk before being caught stealing to end the inning's first threat. McDonald then drew a walk to keep things alive. Brown flied out, but Groves walked to put runners on first and second, and Kearns followed with an RBI single to right center to plate McDonald. Day drew a walk to load the bases and Moore delivered a two-run single to left field, scoring Groves and Kearns, with Moore advancing to second on a throwing error by the left fielder. Dudley then capped the inning with a two-run single to shallow right, scoring Day and Moore. Idaho State led 5-2 after one.

The Bengals kept the pressure on in the second. After Sacramento State pulled within two on a solo home run, Yee led off with a single and the inning took a stunning turn when McDonald drew a walk. During the at-bat, the catcher's throw to second base was dropped by the second baseman, and Yee instinctively read the play and raced around to score while the ball was still live, an unusual and heady piece of baserunning that made the walk count for far more than a walk typically does. Brown then launched a two-run home run to deep center, her 15th of the season, and Kearns followed with a solo home run to left to push the lead to 9-4. 

Sacramento State chipped away with a two-run home run in the third to pull within three, but the Bengals responded with the most productive inning of the afternoon. Navarrete reached on a bunt single, Yee was hit by a pitch, and McDonald drew a walk to load the bases. Brown singled to right center to score two, Groves singled to right center to score another, and Kearns capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to right to make it 14-6. Moore then doubled to center to score Groves as a fifth run crossed before the inning ended. Sacramento State burned through three pitchers in the third inning alone.

Idaho State added two more in the fourth on another Brown two-RBI single, this time through the right side with Navarrete and Yee on base after McDonald laid down a sacrifice bunt. The lead stood at 16-8 entering the fifth inning, and Goluskin came on in relief and retired two of three batters, including a huge play, when the ISU defense threw out a Sac runner who tried to extend a single into a double, before Sacramento State's final run of the game made the score final at 16-8.

When Bustos struck out swinging for the final out, the celebration that had been building all week at Miller Ranch Stadium erupted.

"The girl swung and missed at the last pitch, strike three, and we're going to the NCAA tournament, and it was like, 'Holy crap, we finally did it,'" Rich said. "To be able to finally say that, it's an unreal feeling."

Aguinaga earned the win, striking out seven in four innings of work to improve to 16-4 on the season. Goluskin worked the fifth in relief.

Rich credited the senior class and the wall-to-wall community support that packed the berm at Miller Ranch Stadium for all three tournament days.

"They were locked in. They knew what the goal was this week. They knew what the plan was. They stuck to the plan all week. They were not going to be stopped," Rich said of his seniors. "You can't ask for any more."

The hill along the first-base line was filled to capacity for each of the three tournament games, including Thursday's noon start on a workday — something Rich noted was not lost on the team.

"For the hill to be as packed as it was, that was unbelievable. This community loves Idaho State, they love the Bengals, and you can feel it. It just fueled us, it just kept us going," Rich said. "To have alums here, to have an alum from Texas fly all the way in and be here for this moment, that's what it's all about."

Idaho State will learn its NCAA Tournament destination on Selection Sunday. The Bengals will not play until next Friday.

"We're gonna enjoy the heck out of the next few days and sit back and watch everybody else that's fighting to get into this tournament, because we're in," Rich said. "We're dancing. And as soon as we find out who we're playing Sunday night, you best believe we'll walk in, watch the film, and have a good game plan going for next Friday. This team's got more in the tank for sure."

Bengal Bites

• Idaho State won the 2026 Big Sky Softball Tournament Championship with three consecutive run-rule victories, outscoring opponents 41-16 across three games and scoring in double digits in every contest. The Bengals swept through the bracket without allowing a game to go the distance.
• With the win, Idaho State's 37 victories tie the program record for most wins in a single season.
• The Bengals tied the Big Sky Tournament record for home runs in a single tournament, launching 11 home runs across three games. Nine different players recorded at least one extra-base hit during the week.
• Ava Brown was the offensive star of the championship game, going 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, six RBI, and two runs scored. Brown drove in runs in the second, third, and fourth innings. Brown finishes the season batting .329 with 15 home runs and 53 RBI. In the tournament, Brown batted .417 with two home runs and eight RBI.
• Jenna Kearns went 2-for-3 with a home run, a sacrifice fly, three RBI, and two runs scored in the championship game. Kearns' solo shot in the second inning was the third home run of that inning for Idaho State. On the season, Kearns finishes at .342 with five home runs and 32 RBI. In the tournament, Kearns batted .364 with five RBI across three games.
• Jaden Moore went 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI, and a run scored in the championship. Moore's two-run single in the first inning broke open the scoring, and a double to center in the third extended the lead. Moore finishes the season batting .402, third-best on the roster, with 24 RBI.
• Camryn McDonald went 0-for-0 at the plate in the championship game but reached base in all four plate appearances, drawing three walks and laying down a sacrifice bunt. McDonald scored three runs and was involved in one of the most unusual plays of the tournament, scoring from first base on a walk when the catcher's throw to second was dropped by the second baseman and McDonald alertly read the live ball and circled home. McDonald finished the tournament batting .800 (4-for-5) with nine RBI and leads the team on the season with a .435 batting average.
• Alyssa Yee reached base in all four plate appearances in the championship game, drawing two walks, collecting a hit, and being hit by a pitch. Yee scored three runs and set the table all afternoon from the leadoff spot. Yee leads the team on the season in runs scored with 53, hits with 65, doubles with 16, and stolen bases with 14.
• Kennedy Dudley delivered a two-run single in the first inning to cap the five-run opening frame, finishing 1-for-3 with two RBI. Dudley finishes the season batting .271 with four home runs and 27 RBI.
• Sydney Groves leads the team on the season with 19 home runs, 61 RBI, 29 walks, and 122 total bases. In the championship game, Groves went 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI, and two runs scored.
• Kira Day leads the team in slugging percentage on the season at .818 with 13 home runs and 38 RBI in 44 games. In the tournament, Day batted .500 with three home runs and six RBI across three games.
• Kasey Aguinaga earned the win in the circle, improving to 16-4 on the season with a 3.44 ERA over 112.0 innings. Aguinaga struck out seven in four innings in the championship, finishing the tournament with 13 strikeouts across nine combined innings. Aguinaga leads the program with 81 strikeouts on the year.
• Marley Goluskin worked the fifth inning in relief, retiring two of three batters and throwing the final strikeout of the tournament, winning. It for the BengalsGoluskin finishes the season 12-4 with a 2.54 ERA over 107.2 innings, holding opponents to a .258 average, the best mark on the staff.
• Idaho State committed zero errors in the championship game and fielded at a .969 clip as a team on the season.
• With the championship, Idaho State earns the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history. The Bengals will learn their regional destination on Selection Sunday and open play the following Friday.