POCATELLO, Idaho – After almost an entire season on the road, the Bengals finally return home to Miller Ranch for the 2024 Home Opener. The Bengals are taking on the Boise State Broncos in a mid-week battle as the 2024 Regular season winds down.
First pitch is set for 4:00 PM as the two teams play a single game. The game theme is 'Bark in the Park'. Dog Bandanas will be available to Bengal fans while supplies last.
How to Follow
Wednesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and Live Stats will be available for the game.
| Links | Watch | Live Stats |
| ISU vs BSU | ESPN+ | Live Stats |
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Series vs Broncos
· This is the 2nd meeting of the two teams this season, the first was an 8-1 loss to the Broncos in Boise on March 15th. The last win for the Bengals came agains the Broncos on 2/25/2023, a 4-3 win in Santa Barbara, Calif. BSU leads the all-time series 6-21 and are a perfect 10-0 in Pocatello.
· BSU is 28-20 this season and 8-8 in Mountain West play. The Broncos are coming off of a series win over Nevada where their loss came after a hard-fought 3-2 extra-inning game.
· BSU is led by #2 Sophia Knight who is hitting .409 on the season with 67 hits, most of which are singles.
· Three other Broncos are hitting above .300 and as a team they are averaging a .296 batting average.
· BSU is able to hit the long ball and has 64 home runs on the season while opponents have hit 41 on the Broncos.
· The Boise State pitching staff is led by #24 Taylor Caudill who is throwing a 2.59 ERA on the season holding opponents to a .235 batting average. She has thrown 15 complete games and has struck out 139 batters on the season.
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 dominated the UNC Bears in Greeley on 4/19. The Bengals put up 20 runs on the Bears in the win, tied for 2nd most in the modern era of the team. The 20 runs are the 10th most in the NCAA in a single game against a DI opponent.
• 4-23-24 • |
· The Bengals lead the Big Sky in Batting categories, hitting a team average of .293 on the year. The Bengals have 382 hits on the season, 2nd place is Weber State with 302.
· Gracie Smith leads the conference hitting .422 on the season with 57 hits and 37 runs scored. Her OB + SLG ranks No. 4 at 1.088
· Alyssa Yee is following in offensive categories. She is third in hits with 51 on the season and seventh in the Big Sky rankings with 27 RBIS
· Three Bengals are top-10 in doubles this season with Oliva Robison No. 6 with 12 Alyssa Yee at No. 7 with 11. And Angelica Cano with 10 at No. 10
· The Bengals hold five of the top-10 spots in the home run leaders category in the Big Sky. Ava Brown is third with 7, Yee is fourth with six, Cano is fifth with five, Smith is sixth with five and Robison is 9th with four.
· The Bengals have hit 30 home runs as a team, most in the Big Sky
On Deck
The final weekend of Big Sky conference softball has arrived. The Bengals take on the Weber State Wildcats this Friday and Saturday in a pivotal conference clash. First pitch is set for Friday, April 26 at 1:30 PM MT