POCATELLO, Ida. - The Thunderbird softball team snapped a long losing streak on Friday afternoon, as they picked up a pair of victories against the Idaho State Bengals to open Big Sky Conference play.
The Thunderbirds (5-25) won the first game of the day in extra innings 14-7. The second game proved to be a much lower scoring contest, as SUU knocked off ISU 2-0 to close out Friday's doubleheader.
"I thought that in both of today's games we played as a team," SUU head coach Tom Gray said. "I don't think you could have had two more different games, yet we found a wya to win both. We showed great composure and grit in the first game. After losing the lead, we didn't panic, we simply executed at the plate and fought our way back to eventually break through and have a big inning."
In the first game, the T-Birds got things started fast, scoring four runs in the first frame taking a 4-0 lead.
After two runs by the Bengals, Kylee Wolf put SUU up 5-2 with a homerun, but that lead was short lived as the Bengals had a huge fifth inning, capped off by a grand slam to put ISU up 7-5.
In the seventh inning, SUU's Amanda Cook was the hero as she tied the contest up at 7-7, forcing the game into extra innings.
The T-Birds won the game with a gigantic ninth inning push, scoring seven runs to take a 14-7 lead that the Bengals couldn't put a dent in, pulling away with the victory.
SUU's Hanna Wynn got the win for the T-Birds with five innings pitched and only allowing three hits.
The second game of the day didn't feature the high powered offense that the first did, but the T-Birds were able to put another mark in the win column after putting two runs up in the top of the fourth and holding the Bengals completely scoreless.
SUU's Kirsten Hostetler pitched the entire game for the T-Birds, only allowing five hits in seven innings with no runs.
"In the second game we won with pitching and defense," Gray said. "I was very happy with our ability to execuse under pressure."
Gray went on to say, "there are so many players that executed well. It would be too hard to signle anyone out. I cant' think of someone who didn't contribute."
The three-game series between the T-Birds and the Bengals will wrap up tomorrow with a game scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
