POCATELLO, Idaho – After a disappointing series cancellation with the Hornets, the Bengals are back in action this week heading to Missoula, Mont., to take on the Griz in a crucial conference showdown.
The Bengals play a doubleheader on Friday with first pitch at 2:30 PM MT and Game two to follow at the conclusion. The two teams then play a single-game series finale Saturday starting at 1:00 PM.
How to Follow
Friday and Saturday's games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and Live Stats will also be available for all three contests.
| Links | Watch | Live Stats |
| Game 1 | ESPN+ | Live Stats |
| Game 2 | ESPN+ | Live Stats |
| Game 3 | ESPN+ | Live Stats |
| | | |
Quick Look vs Montana
· This is the 24th meeting of the Bengals and Griz going back to the 2015 season.
· Montana leads the all-time series 13-10, but the Bengal have taken four of the past six meetings of the two teams.
· The previous meeting was April 22, 2023 where the Bengals won 11-3 in Pocatello.
· The Griz were picked to finish 6th in the preseason poll and are currently sitting at 14-23 on the season and 0-6 in conference.
· The Griz started conference play with a series loss to Weber State, suffering two close day one losses of 6-5 and 2-0.
· #7 Presley Jantzi leads the Montana team hitting .411 on the year, she is tied with Gracie Smith to lead the conference with 51 hits on the season.
· Montana's pitching staff is throwing a team 5.15 ERA. #2 Rylee Rehbein leads the UM pitchers with a 4.80 ERA and a 6-5 record.
Bengal Bites
The Idaho State Bengals were selected as preseason No. 1 by the Big Sky Conference Coaches in 2024. The Bengals return the majority of the 2023 Regular season Big Sky champion squad headed into the 2024 season.
Tournament champion UNC was selected No.2 in the poll with the Bengals and Bears neck and neck in the points standings.
• Jenna Kearns got her first Collegiate hit against UCSD on 2/9/24, a one-run Homerun over the left field wall as the Bengals routed the Tritons 11-2.
• Ava brown hit a home run in each of the Bengals first three games of 2024. • Gracie Smith Opened the Season earning Big Sky Player of the Week. Smith hit .550 on 11-of-20 hits with 3 extra base hits including the first grand slam of the year.
• Taylor Fitzgerald was named Big Sky Pitcher of the Week after the Whataburger Invitational, Fitzgerald threw 13.1 innings with a 0.00 ERA, .049 Opp BA, 2 Hits Allowed, 10 Strikeouts and 0 Walks
• The Bengals got off to the Best Start in the DI era of the program, going 10-1 over the first 11 games.
• Taylor Fitzgerald earned her 4th win of the season, a 9-2 victory over Utah Valley University. Fitzgerald then battled Arizona State to extra innings before falling in the 8th.
• Gracie Smith hit the first walk-off home run of the 2024 season against Cal Poly on 3/1/24. Down 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Bengals rallied to place two on with two outs before Smith hit the walk-off dinger.
• The Bengals lead the Big Sky Conference in Hits with 292 on the season and a .417 slugging percentage
• The Bengals lead the conference in Home runs with 25 on the season. The next closest team is Northern Colorado with 16,
• Gracie Smith ranks No. 4 in the conference in offensive stats, hitting .403 on the season with 48 hits and 23 RBIS. Smith also has a conference-leading 29 runs scored
•The Bengals rank 38th in the nation in stolen bases per game with 1.53 per game.
• Gracie Smith ranks #56 in the NCAA in Hits this season with 51.
On Deck
The Bengals head east for a trip to SLC to take on the Utes followed by a conference championship rematch with the Northern Colorado Bears in Greeley.