Boise State Rallies Past Nationally-Ranked Mississippi

Friday, February 6

Fullerton, Calif.

4 p.m.

Boise State

1-1

#14 Mississippi

2-2

Mississippi

Boise State

Boise State Rallies Past Nationally-Ranked Mississippi

2/6/2026 11:59:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

FULLERTON, Calif. – Kate Penberthy blasted a three-run home run to lift Boise State past Mississippi 3-2 at the Easton Classic, Friday.

Mississippi (2-2) appears in all four national polls, including a No. 14 slot in the NFCA Top 25, and is the highest-ranked opponent defeated by Boise State all-time.

In the bottom of the fifth with the Broncos (1-2) trailing 2-0, Hollie Farmer reached on an error with one out. After Farmer was forced out on a fielder's choice off the bat of Ashley Hernandez Lofton, Chloe Hughes worked a walk.

Penberthy, a transfer from Cal Baptist, then crushed a 0-2 pitch over the wall in left-center field for her first home run as a Bronco.

The Rebels threatened in the top of the sixth putting runners at first and second with no outs. Farmer then handled a one-hop smash at third, stepped on the bag and fired to Penberthy at first for the second out. Penberthy tossed the ball to Skylar Stroh at second who tagged out the runner from first for a triple play that preserved the one-run lead.

Freshman Charley Duran (1-0), the Broncos' third pitcher of the game, worked three shutout innings to earn the victory.

In the nightcap, Boise State was edged 6-5 by tournament host Cal State Fullerton (3-1). The Broncos outhit the Titans 12-6 and scored all five runs with two outs.

Farmer gave Boise State a 1-0 lead with an RBI-single in the first. The Titans took advantage of two errors by the Broncos to score three runs in their half of the first, two unearned, and grab a 3-1 lead.

In the fourth, Hernandez Lofton reached on an error with one out, stole second with two outs and came home on a pinch hit single by Jorja Crider.

The Broncos tied the score in the sixth when Stroh led off with a single and scored on a two-out single by Marissa Gonzalez.

Cal State Fullerton tallied three runs in the bottom of the frame to go on top 6-3 lead, but Boise State did not go quietly.

Quinn Southerland opened the seventh with a single, but was forced out at second when Farmer grounded into a fielder's choice. Farmer took second on a ground out before Hernandez Lofton traded places with her with a ringing double to cut the deficit to 6-4.

Talia Jenkins plated Hernandez Lofton with a run-scoring single and moved to second on the throw home. Hughes singled to move pinch runner Sophia Romero to third with the tying run. After Hughes took second on a wild pitch, Penberthy popped up to end the threat.

NOTES

Boise State's win over No. 14 Mississippi marked the highest-ranked opponent defeated in school history.
The victory was the second in school history over an SEC school (Mississippi, 2019).
Boise State turned a triple play in the sixth inning against Mississippi, the first in school history.
The Broncos have won 12 games against Power Conference schools under Justin Shults.
Jorja Crider, Marissa Gonzalez and Talia Jenkins each recorded their first RBI as a Bronco.
Charley Duran worked three shutout innings in relief against Mississippi for her first-collegiate victory.
Kodi Crabtree pitched three hitless innings against the Rebels in her first-collegiate start.

WHAT'S NEXT

Boise State continues in the Easton Classic at Cal State Fullerton, Saturday…Broncos play CSUN at 12:30 p.m. PT/1:30 p.m. MT followed by Portland State at 3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT.