GREELEY, Colo. — The Idaho State Bengals erupted early and never looked back, overpowering Northern Colorado 10-3 on Friday afternoon to punch their ticket to the Big Sky Tournament Championship game against Weber State.
Idaho State (36-16) came out swinging, plating three runs in the top of the first inning. A hit-by-pitch to Gracie Smith and walks to Ava Brown and Olivia Robison set the table, followed by an RBI hit-by-pitch to Kennedy Dudley and an RBI single from Camryn McDonald. Jenna Kearns' sacrifice fly capped the early burst.
The Bears tied up the game in the bottom of the 1st to make it 3-3 headed into the 2nd.
The Bengals reclaimed control in the second, capitalizing on a single from Belle Navarrete and another walk to Smith. Brown's clutch two-run single — paired with a throwing error — and Robison's RBI single made it 6-3. Brown wasn't done, launching a two-run homer to center in the fourth to stretch the lead to 8-3. The homerun is Brown's 25th of the season, extending her Big Sky single-season record.
The Bengals padded their advantage in the fifth as McDonald drew a walk, Kearns doubled, and pinch hitter Jaden Moore grounded out to score McDonald. Smith then laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Kearns, pushing the margin to 10-3.
While the offense was relentless, Idaho State's pitching settled in beautifully. AfterKasey Aguinaga's brief start, Megan Meracle (8-1) was dominant in relief, tossing six shutout innings with five strikeouts and allowing just three hits.
Offensively, Brown led the charge, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs, a home run, and two walks. Robison added a 1-for-4 day with an RBI and a walk, while Kearns collected a double, RBI, and sacrifice fly. Smith chipped in with a hit, two stolen bases, an RBI, and three times on base.
On the defensive side, the Bengals played error-free ball, turning aside Northern Colorado's late threats and closing the door in the final innings.
With the win, Idaho State advances to the Big Sky Tournament title game where they'll face archrival Weber State, aiming to secure a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.
