POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State softball continued its winning streak on Day two of the Gaucho Classic in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Bengals picked up wins against Boise State and Providence to end the day.
“I am so proud of our team today,” remarked Head Coach Andrew Rich. “High-intensity game against another team that'll be fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament and they never backed down. Haley Rainey was fantastic again against a really, really tough lineup for Boise State.
These games the past couple of weekends should show our players just what they are capable of. When we play our game, we can play with anyone.”
Game 1 | ISU 4 – Boise State 3
For the first time since 2016, the Idaho State Bengals defeated the Boise State Broncos.
The Bengals (6-7) handed the Broncos (9-2) just their second loss of the 2022 season.
The Orange and Black got on the board first. The Bengals took advantage of throwing errors from the Broncos and Skyler Sethman rounded the bases scoring the first run for the Bengals.
The Bengals offense exploded in the 4th. It began with Sethman getting on base, she was followed by Isabella Hanson. Coming up to bat, Brook Richards doubled to center field bringing in the run and giving the Bengals a 2-0 lead.
Rheanne Lewis followed it up with a single to left scoring Hanson for a 3-0 lead. With the bases loaded, Angelica Cano came up to bat and was promptly hit bit a pitch bringing in another run.
The Bengals ended the top of the 4th with a 4-0 lead. In the bottom of the 4th the Broncos were able to tack on one run with two outs before Haley Rainey struck out the final Boise State batter.
The Broncos were looking to stage a comeback in the bottom of the fifth. After starting with a walk they looked poised to make a run. The Bengals never gave them a chance. The next bronco grounded to third and the Bengals pulled the double play. Rainey then followed it by striking out the Bronco batter looking.
The Bengals went one two three in the top of the sixth and the Broncos were able to score two runs to cut the Bengal lead to 4-3 heading into the final inning.
After not being able to score in the top of the seventh, the Bengal defense came out with the chance to win the game.
The Bengals got the first out of the inning with a ground out to 3rd, then intentionally walked the next batter loading the bases.
With the winning runners on base, the Bengals didn’t flinch. Rainey went to work in the circle and forced consecutive fly out and ground outs.
The Bengals came away with the 4-3 victory over the Broncos, the first win for Idaho State over Boise State since the 2016 season.
The Bengals ended the game with four runs on five hits. Overall the Bengals hit .179 and held the Broncos to a season low .185 hitting percentage.
Sethman led the Bengals with two runs on two hits. Cano had one RBI on one double.
Rainey was electric in the circle, only allowing five hits through seven innings pitched. She had seven Ks facing 31 batters and only allowed two walks. Rainey also snagged the final out of the game, securing the ground ball hit by Boise and making the throw to Frankie Tago at first for the put out.
Game 2 | ISU 11 – Providence 1
Coming off of a great win over the Boise State Broncos, the Bengals looked to keep their momentum against the Providence Friars. The Bengals did just that, beating the friars 11-1 in five innings.
The Bengals got on the board quick. In the bottom of the first Rheanne Lewis and Morgan Hess scored runs off of Angelica Cano and Frankie Tago hits.
The Bengals would go on to score every inning that they had at bats in. in the second, Brook Richards and Isabella Hanson scored on an Isabel Cargill hit and a Providence error. At the end of two, the Bengals led 4-0 over the Friars.
Providence was able to get its only run of the game in the third, a solo home run.
The Bengals had all the momentum in the third and wanted to respond to the Providence home run. They did just that. After getting on base, Frankie Tago scored on a Sethman double. The Bengals then scored again on a series of wild pitches to take a 6-1 lead.
Lewis stepped up to the plate and smashed a double through the left side scoring Cargill and Hanson.
Finally, Brook Richards brought what would be the winning runs home after pounding a triple down the left-field line scoring three runs and giving the Bengals the 11-1 lead.
Emma McMurray was lights out in the circle. The Friars attempted to make a push in the 5th but McMurray held her ground striking out two of the Providence players. With runners in scoring position, the Bengals closed out the inning and the game with a short stop to second base out.
McMurray finished with eight Ks with only 20 batters faced, nearly 50 percent strikeouts. She only allowed three hits and one run.
The Bengals finished with 11 hits in 22 at bats. Sethman and Hanson and Lewis led the way with two hits each.
Lewis led the team with three RBIs.
Sethman led the team with a .526 batting average.
Looking Ahead
The Bengals have one more game in the 2022 Gaucho Classic as they play Providence College for their final game of the tournament at 10:30 a.m.
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