POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State softball wrapped up the 2022 Aggie Classic with a perfect 4-0 Record. The Bengals showed their strength as they completed three games on Saturday to close out the tournament.
The Bengals ended the day with a win against Maine and two wins against Utah State.
“I can't say enough about the effort from our group all weekend long,” said Head Coach Andrew Rich. “We played well in every facet of the game. We were dangerous offensively all the way through the lineup. This team has worked extremely hard to get to where we are now and I can't wait to get into conference play next weekend. We are all excited to finally get the chance to play at Miller Ranch!”
Game 1 | ISU 12 – Maine 4
Mailee Newman hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to walk the Bengals off in six innings against the Maine Black Bears Saturday morning.
Idaho State got on the board first. In the bottom of the first, Brook Richards and Rheanne Lewis got on the bases. Frankie Tago came up to bat and hit a double down the right field line scoring two runs to put the Bengals up 2-0.
The Black bears came roaring back in the second and third, scoring four runs to take a 4-2 lead heading to the bottom of the 3rd.
The Bengals facing a two-run deficit, put their foot on the gas. With Angelica Cano and Frankie Tago on base, ISU freshman Piper Tago stepped up to the plate and hit a massive home run over the left-field wall. The Bengals took a 5-4 lead and never looked back.
The Bengals kept the pressure up with Morgan Hess, Isabel Cargill and Skyler Sethman getting on, Brook Richards came to bat and hit a two-run RBI double to extend the lead to 7-4.
Rheanne Lewis kept it going with a single to center, scoring Cargill and pushing the lead to 8-4.
After cross the plate once that inning, Cano grounded out to 1st but brought a runner in to give the Bengals a 9-4 lead.
Lewis showed her wheels, stealing home to extend the lead to 10-4
Piper Tago followed up her home run, reaching on an error and allowing Frankie Tago to come home.
In the bottom of the sixth, with the Bengals up 11-4, Mailee Newman stepped up and hit her third home run of the season, a walk-off bomb over the center field wall, run ruling the game and giving ISU the 12-4 victory.
Mareena Ramirez and Mailee Newman combined in the circle for the Bengal win.
Ramirez struck out seven of the 14 batters she faced and only allowed three hits.
In relief, Newman shut out the black bears with four strike outs and zero hits allowed.
The Bengals had 12 hits on 24 at bats for a .500 team BA. Richards and Lewis both had two hits. The Bengals finished with 10 RBIs , three doubles, and two home runs.
Game 2 | ISU 12 – Utah State 6
After the game was postponed yesterday due to lack of light, the Bengals and Aggies resumed the game in the top of the 6th with the Bengals up 8-5.
Facing a possible comeback, the Bengals didn’t allow it to happen. In the sixth the Bengals came out the gate swinging, Idaho State scored four runs in the sixth off of a Lewis double, a Frankie Tago single and a Morgan Hess single to go up 12-6.
Mailee Newman took care of business in the circle only allowing three hits and holding off any possible Aggie comeback.
The Bengals finished with season-high tying 11 RBIs on 13 hits.
After the win, the Bengals headed into the final game of the tournament, a rematch with Utah State.
Game 3 | ISU 6 – Utah State 2
The Bengals closed out the final game of the 2022 Aggie Classic with a 6-2 win over the Utah State Aggies in Logan, Utah Saturday afternoon.
The Bengals and Aggies engaged in a five-inning pitching battle before the Bengals had an explosion of offense in the fifth inning.
Utah State got on the board in the first and held onto the lead until the third. In the top of the third, Cano reached and and Frankie Tago singled to center tying the game at 1-1.
After both teams going scoreless in the fourth, the Benglas started an eventful fifth inning.
Rheanne Lewis and Brook Richards reached on hits, Cano Stepped up and hit a huge double to right center, scoring two runs to give the Bengals a 3-1 lead.
Not to let Cano outshine her, Frankie Tago came up to bat and hammered her second homerun of the season over the centerfield wall, putting the Orange and Black up 6-1 in the fifth.
The Aggies tried furiously to come back three innings in a row, but Haley Rainey and the Bengal defense held strong, and the Orange and black ended the game with the 6-2 victory.
Five Bengals ended the game with two hits and the Bengals scored six runs on 10 total hits.
Rainey pitched a complete seven-inning game. The Bengal pitcher fanned 10 of the 26 batters she faced and only allowed two runs and five total hits in the game.
Aggie Classic Roundup
The Bengals finish the 2022 Aggie Classic 4-0 with wins against Utah State and Maine.
Five Bengals hit over .500 for the tournament. Franke Tago, Cano, Richards and Newman all hit .500 while Rheanne Lewis led the team hitting .563 for the tournament.
Cano was absolutely dominant in the four games she played, the Junior infielder hit .500 with eight hits on 14 at bats. She scored eight runs and had 11 RBIs. She also crushed the ball hitting three doubles and three home runs for a SLG% of 1.357! She reached base .500 percent of the time. On the defensive side of the ball, Cano had five put outs.
The Bengals as a team hit .364 compared to opponent’s .267. ISU scored 43 runs on 44 hits a hit to run rate of 97.7 percent!
The Bengals finished with eight home runs and 12 doubles on the weekend.
The Bengal pitching staff was on fire this weekend. Rainey went 2-0 in the circle with 11 hits allowed in 11 innings pitched, she struck out 15 batters and went 2-0.
Mareena Ramirez went 1-0 from the circle, the Sophmore pitcher only allowed six total hits and four runs while fanning 11 of the batters she faced.
Emma McMurray went 1-0 from the circle this weekend. With only three runs allowed.
In her two appearances, Mailee Newman struck out five opposing batters and only allowed one run and three hits, finishing with a team low 1.80 ERA.
On Deck
It’s time to open Big Sky Conference softball. The Bengals open the 2022 Big Sky Season at home on March 25 as they take on the Sacramento State Hornets.
Admission to the game is free at Miller Ranch.
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