Softball Begins Season with Two Wins in the Desert

Friday, February 9

Tempe, Ariz.

10:30 a.m.

Boise State

1-0

No. 20 Northwestern

0-1

Northwestern

Boise State

2/9/2024 5:51:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

TEMPE, Ariz. - Boise State knocked off No. 20 Northwestern and St. Thomas to open the 2024 softball season at the Kajikawa Classic, Friday.

The win over the Wildcats (0-1) marked the first over a top 20 team in school history. The Broncos (2-0) came from behind in each game and Taylor Caudill (2-0) won both games in the circle in a relief role.

"Taylor did a great job today and I am proud of the resiliency our team showed," head coach Justin Shults said. "We have a lot of new faces and each day is going to be an opportunity to learn and get better. We had a lot of fight and that is great to see this early in the season."

Boise State spotted Northwestern two runs in the top of the first, but tied the game on Megan Lake's two-out, two-run single in the bottom half of the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, Karizma Bergesen came off the bench to homer in her first at bat as a Bronco. The solo blast by the transfer from San Jose State gave Boise State a 3-2 lead.

The Wildcats tied the game in the fifth before Caudill replaced starter Jenna Bloom with one out and a runner on second. The senior right hander induced a foul out and recorded a strikeout to end the threat.

In the sixth, Brooklynn Pettis led off with a home run to provide the winning margin. Caudill set the Wildcats down in order in the seventh and retired eight of the nine hitters she faced in the game.

The Broncos trailed the Tommies (0-1) 4-1 after four innings before rallying to stay undefeated.

After Boise State scored on a run in the top of the fifth, Mykenzie Hanna belted a three-run home run to put the Broncos on top 5-4.

Boise State tacked on some insurance in the seventh when Sophia Knight doubled in a run and scored on an infield single by Hanna.

Caudill was again spectacular in relief as she set down 14 of the 15 batters she faced with eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings of hitless relief.

Top Broncos

Taylor Caudill earned a pair of wins in the circle and struck out 10 in 7 1/3 inning of no-run, no-hit relief.
Hollie Farmer and Sophia Knight each collected four hits.
Mykenzie Hanna homered and drove in four against St. Thomas.
Brooklynn Pettis provided the game-winning home run against Northwestern.

Notables

Boise State defeated the highest-ranked opponent in school history in its win over Northwestern.
Taylor Caudill moved into a tie for second place on Boise State's career strikeout list with 388.
Karizma Bergesen's home run against Northwestern was the eighth by a Bronco pinch hitter since the start of the 2022 season.

What's Next
The Broncos face Wisconsin at 10:30 a.m. and tournament co-host Arizona State at 4 p.m., Saturday. The game against the Sun Devils will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.