Boise State
13-9
Indiana
8-8
Boise State’s Upset Bid of No. 4/5 Arizona Comes Up Short
3/7/2020 6:23:00 PM | Softball
Broncos dropped a pair of games on Saturday at the Wildcat Invitational falling to Indiana (5-0) and Arizona (2-1).
T2 | IT'S OUTTA HERE! Bella Rocco sends her 2nd home run of the year over the center field fence! We are tied! 🐴💪💪
— Boise State Softball (@BroncoSportsSB) March 7, 2020
Boise State 1, #4/5 Arizona 1#BleedBlue Go Broncos! pic.twitter.com/eeIKvgz6Yo
"I'm really proud of our bounce back effort in game two," said head coach Maggie Huffaker. "Hannah Bailey threw a great game and we had some chances to score. Just need to keep fighting for the timely hit."
Boise State's offense struggled on the day combining for eight hits — four in each contest — and one run. The lone run of the day came on freshman Bella Rocco's solo home run in the second inning against the Wildcats.
Kelsey Lalor and Karlee Johnson led the Broncos with two hits each, while Rocco, Alison Seng, Jessica McKay and Ashlyn Adams tallied on each.
Kelsey Broadus picked up the loss versus Indiana, while Hannah Bailey pitched a complete game in the defeat against the ranked Wildcats.
Boise State is 1-2 this weekend and 13-10 overall. The Blue and Orange will continue play on Sunday with a rematch versus SUIE — the Broncos beat the Cougars on Friday — followed by an encounter with South Dakota in the afternoon.
INDIANA RECAP
The Hoosiers took control early with three runs in the second inning followed by one more in the third. They added an insurance run in the top of the fifth to round out all the scoring with Indiana up 5-0.Boise State leaves two on base in the seventh as Indiana defeats Boise State 5-0.
— Boise State Softball (@BroncoSportsSB) March 7, 2020
The Broncos move to 13-9 overall and will face #4/5 Arizona at 2 p.m.#BleedBlue @BroncoSports @BoiseState @MW_OlySports pic.twitter.com/FhmnKZm2jZ
Boise State had some chances with runners in scoring position a couple of times but failed to bring them across the plate. The Broncos left two base runners stranded in both the second and seventh innings.
Lalor had a pair of hits to lead the Broncos while both Adams and McKay added one apiece. Adams and Serena Huchingson each had stolen bases.
ARIZONA RECAP
Boise State came up just short of an upset of fourth-ranked Arizona Saturday afternoon when the Wildcats won on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to edge the Broncos 2-1.#4/5 Arizona hits a homer in the bottom of 7th to edge the Broncos 2-1 at Wildcat Invitational in Tucson.
— Boise State Softball (@BroncoSportsSB) March 7, 2020
Rocco hit a home run to lead Broncos. Boise State moves to 13-10 overall with two more games on Sunday.#BleedBlue @BroncoSports @BoiseState @MW_OlySports pic.twitter.com/Th0f3Q2JOE
It was a pitchers duel as both recorded complete games, Leal for Boise State and Alyssa Denham for the Wildcats. Leal gave up eight hits, but the Bronco defense backed her most of the game.
Arizona struck first scoring in the first inning on a trio of hits. Boise State's Rocco then tied the score in the top of the second when she sent her second homer of the year over the center field fence.
The game was a defensive battle from the second inning on with the two teams stranding a combined 14 runners on base, eight by the Wildcats and six by the Broncos.
The decisive score came with the first Arizona batter in the bottom of the seventh inning when Palomino sent her walk-off homer to center field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Goodin, Emily (7-6)
L: Broadus, Kelsey (8-5)
Batting:
2B: Radcliffe, Grayson 1 ; Jenkins, Gabbi 1 ; Lambert, Taylor 1 ; Lacefield, Katie 1
RBI: Radcliffe, Grayson 1 ; Davis, Hannah 1 ; Baez, Annika 1
SH: Dufek, Desiree 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Radcliffe, Grayson 1 ; Jenkins, Gabbi 1 ; Woodall, Caraline 1 ; Hart, Tete 1 ; Holeman, Columbia 1
SB: Radcliffe, Grayson 1 ; Jenkins, Gabbi 1 ; Woodall, Caraline 1 ; Hart, Tete 1
CS: Dufek, Desiree 1
Base Running:
SB: Adams, Ashlyn 1 ; Huchingson, Serena 1
