The Idaho State softball team took down the Colorado State Rams in a 4-1 contest before falling to Kennesaw State in five innings, 10-2, in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Sunday.
ISU (7-14) combined for 12 hits in the two games, led by Morgan Hess with four. Angelica Cano homered in each game. Emma Bordenkecher and Shayna Dahlen each had two hits while Mailee Newman and Kaylee Butterworth had a single apiece.
“Our bats have made a ton of progress and found a groove,” said ISU head coach Cristal Brown. “Our defense has gotten more solid and is avoiding big innings. Feels good to be putting things together.”
ISU 4, CSU 1
In a game that started on Saturday, the Bengals scored four runs on seven hits led by Hess and Dahlen each with two. Cano homered for two RBIs while Bordenkecher and Newman each singled.
CSU took a 1-0 lead that lasted until the top of the sixth when the Bengals went ahead 2-1.
Hess started the sixth with a single to third before Cano smashed a two-run home run to left field to put ISU ahead.
In the top of the seventh, the game was halted due to darkness. The Bengals didn’t let it slow them down when the game resumed Sunday morning, as they put up another two runs on three base hits. Kelsea Sweeney shut the Rams down in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Sweeney earned the victory, giving up four hits and two walks while striking out two.
KSU 10, ISU 2
Hess was 2 for 3 in the game to lead ISU. Cano was 1 for 2 with a home run. Bordenkecher and Butterworth each singled.
The Owls went up 4-0 after two base hits, a walk, and two doubles to start the first inning before Newman came in and shut down Kennesaw’s momentum.
Cano homered in the second to put the Bengals on the board, 4-1. The home run was her second of the weekend.
A KSU two-run home run extended the Owls’ lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the second. They followed with another home run in the third to push the lead to 7-1.
Butterworth reached first on a single to center field in the top of the fourth. A stolen base and a wild pitch moved her to third, allowing her to score on a KSU throwing error to cut the lead to 7-2.
Kennesaw scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning after three Bengal errors. They scored their final run in the fifth to earn a run-rule victory over ISU, 10-2.
Sweeney took the loss after giving up four earned runs in the first. Newman pitched three innings, giving up five runs on four hits while walking three and striking out two. Kiara Grover finished the game, pitching one inning while giving up one run on three hits.
The Bengals play their final preseason tournament next weekend at the Loyola Marymount Tournament in Los Angeles, which starts Friday.