EUGENE, Ore. — The Idaho State softball team rode the strength of a deep and powerful offensive lineup to their most successful season ever this year.

Unfortunately, the Bengal bats deserted them in the NCAA tournament.

West Coast Conference champion St. Mary’s held the Bengals to two hits and a single run on Saturday, ending ISU’s season with a 3-1 victory in a loser-out game in the NCAA Tournament.

In ISU’s two NCAA tournament games, they scored a total of two runs, accumulated just seven hits and, aside from the first inning of their loss to Oregon on Friday night, couldn’t string together more than one hit in an inning.

Bengal pinch hitter Olivia Robison had one of ISU’s two hits on Saturday — a game-tying solo home run in the top of the sixth inning. Gaels catcher Andrea Delarosa singled in teammates Sam Buckley and Kiah Silva in the bottom of the inning, which was more than enough to provide the winning margin for St. Mary’s.

Gaels starter Madeline Haun, a freshman, held ISU to only Robison’s homer over 5.2 innings. Then Odhi Vasquez (20-5) came on to get the win in relief, yielding just a leadoff single to Bengal first baseman Sidney Groves in the top of the seventh. But Jenna Kearns flied out, Krista Day struck out and Jaden Moore grounded out to bring an end to the threat — and to the ISU season.

The Bengals, who won both the Big Sky Conference regular-season and postseason tournament titles and were playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, ended their historic season with a 37-20 record, tying the school mark for most wins in a season.

St. Mary’s, who lost to Mississippi State, 3-2, on Friday, moved on to play Oregon later Saturday night.

Kasey Aguinaga, ISU’s leader with 16 wins on the season, got the start but lasted only 2.1 innings, giving up a run, five hits and two walks. She was relieved by Riley Wickum, who had not appeared in several games due to a wrist injury. Wickum took the loss, giving up the two runs in the bottom of the sixth, as well as four hits and three walks over 3.2 innings. Her record fell to 3-5 on the season.

Coach Andrew Rich’s Bengals have won three of the last four Big Sky Conference regular-season titles, although this year was their first successful run through the postseason tournament. They will lose several impactful seniors, including former Big Sky MVP Ava Brown, who set the school and conference record for home runs as a junior; first baseman Groves, who led the conference in home runs and runs batted in; Aguinaga, who led the pitching staff in innings and wins; starting third baseman Kennedy Dudley; starting outfielders Alyssa Yee and Jaden Moore; and Wickum from the pitching staff.

But they return outfielder Day, who hit two walk-off homers in the Big Sky tourney; shortstop Camryn McDonald, who led the Big Sky in hitting; Marley Goluskin, the Big Sky Pitcher of the Year; starting catcher Kearns; and starting second baseman Belle Navarrette, among others.

Keeping Rich and his coaching staff intact will be another important offseason task. He was co-Big Sky Coach of the Year this season, and has won or shared the honor three times in his five seasons at the Bengal helm.