Boise State
25-8, 5-6
Utah State
13-21, 4-9
Career Days from Dyreson and Johnson Propels Boise State to Series Victory
4/13/2019 7:10:00 PM | Softball
Boise State (25-8, 5-6 MW) downed Utah State (13-21, 4-9 MW) in five innings behind the first career home run for Karlee Johnson and five strikeouts from Rainey Dyreson
With the victory, the Broncos (25-8, 5-6 MW) are a game back of .500 in conference play, and have clinched their second Mountain West series of the year. They took the series against San Diego State (March 22-23), two games to one.
The game opened with a ceremonial pitch from Bridget Johnson, a survivor of breast cancer and mother of junior infielder Karlee Johnson, as part of Boise State's Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend. Johnson would hit the first home run of her college career on a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning. She finished the game 1-for-3.
"It feels great. It's actually funny because during practice this week, Coach Magg's asked if I had gotten a home run yet. She said she was feeling (one) this weekend," Johnson said.
With Boise State and the Aggies (13-21, 4-9 MW) tied 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning, Boise State scored six of their seven runs with two outs. Following Johnson's solo home run, the Broncos would load the bases with two outs. Junior Jessica McKay stepped up to the plate and found the gap in right field for a bases-clearing double to bust the game open. Bradie Fillmore and Morgan Lamb would both follow with home runs of their own to make it an 8-1 ballgame.WATCH | Coach Magg's right hand has to be sore at this point from all the high fives rounding third...#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/4bwcOZivVI
— Boise State Softball (@BroncoSportsSB) April 13, 2019
McKay would finish the game 2-for-3 at the plate for a three-RBI performance. Kora Wade scored twice, while Fillmore was second on the team with two runs batted in.
Boise State would find the final two runs it needed for the run-rule victory in the bottom of the fourth inning. Serena Huchingson singled up the left side with runners on the corners. The ball was bobbled by Utah State's right fielder, giving Isabelle Butler enough time to reach home plate from first base for two runs on the at-bat.
Despite the Aggies getting a run in the first and fifth inning, the Broncos got a dominant showing from Rainey Dyreson. The redshirt senior went the full five innings to improve to 4-1 on the season. She struck out five batters – a single-game high since she transferred to Boise State for the 2017 season. The five strikeouts are the most she's had in her career since she struck out seven against Portland State (April 21, 2015) while on the Oregon State roster.M3 | @DyresonRainey gets the last batter swinging for a 3⬆️, 3 ⬇️ inning in the third! Three strikeouts for Rainey on the day.
— Boise State Softball (@BroncoSportsSB) April 13, 2019
Karlee Johnson up to bat as the Broncos hold an 8-1 lead over Utah State.#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/s3FWJDeGG9
Dyreson allowed only six batters on base as the Broncos held Utah State to only four hits on no errors.
"We obviously took a step back the past couple of weekends," head coach Maggie Livreri said. "Coming back this weekend, getting a couple of wins and playing the way we know how to was big for us."
With the series clinched, Boise State will go for the sweep in Sunday's series finale. First pitch against Utah State is scheduled for noon MT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dyreson, Rainey (4-1)
L: TOONE, Kapri (2-10)
Batting:
2B: OROZCO, Lexi 1
RBI: REED, Stephanie 1 ; OROZCO, Lexi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: REED, Stephanie 1 ; SISUL, Hannah 1
HBP: HOLMES, Ryann 1
Batting:
2B: McKay, Jessica 1
HR: Fillmore, Bradie 1 ; Lamb, Morgan 1 ; Johnson, Karlee 1
RBI: Adams, Ashlyn 1 ; McKay, Jessica 3 ; Fillmore, Bradie 2 ; Lamb, Morgan 1 ; Huchingson, Serena 1 ; Johnson, Karlee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wade, Kora 2 ; Cervantes, Rebekah 1 ; McKay, Jessica 2 ; Fillmore, Bradie 1 ; Lamb, Morgan 1 ; Butler, Isabelle 1 ; Johnson, Karlee 1 ; Seng, Alison 1
HBP: Cervantes, Rebekah 1
