POCATELLO, ID — 40 total runs were scored between the Saint Mary's Gaels (14-15) and the Idaho State Bengals (19-10) in today's doubleheader, with game one going the way of the Gaels 15-9, and game two going the way of the Bengals 12-4. The Gaels are now 2-1 vs Idaho State with today's split, and their win over the Bengals in Davis on opening weekend, and will look to finish out the four game season series with a win tomorrow.

GAME ONE: SMC 15 - ISU 9
Sam Buckley led off the game with a home run, and added a two run blast in the second to give the Gaels an early 4-0 lead. Idaho State responded with three runs in the bottom of the second, but a Braxton Brown blast in the third sparked a three run innings, giving the Gaels some breathing room, at 6-3. 

Odhi Vasquez surrendered two home runs in the third as the game was tied up by the Bengals in the bottom of the third, forcing a call to the bullpen for freshman Ella Thurman. Thurman allowed the go-ahead run to cross on a sacrifice fly, giving ISU their first lead of the game at 7-6, but eventually retired the side and hung up a zero in the fourth. 

In the top of fifth, the Gaels loaded the bases with one out for Sam Buckley, who lifted a ball to left deep enough for a sacrifice fly, once again pushing Saint Mary's in front. The Gaels really put the game to bed, however, in the sixth, plating six more runs, included four on a grand slam from Sam Buckley, her third home run of the day, running her RBI count to eight for the game. Claudia Kirchner drove in two more in the seventh with a triple, while Ella Thurman closed things out, going five innings full en route to the first victory of her collegiate career. 

Sam Buckley went 3-4 in the game…with three home runs and eight RBI. That brought Buckley's season home run total to eight for the year, moving her into the top-10 for single season home runs. This was the first multi-home run game by a Gael since Julia McCormack hit two against UCSB in 2020. Joining Buckley with a three hit game was Braxton Brown, going 3-4 with a solo home run and a double, continuing her recent hot streak, going 7 for her last 15 with two home runs and six RBI. 

GAME TWO: SMC 4 - ISU 12 (5 Inn.)
Idaho State jumped out to an 8-1 lead in this one through two innings, with the Gaels lone run coming on an Alex Cutonilli home run. The Gaels mounted their best comeback effort in the third, when Sam Buckley launched her fourth home run of the afternoon, and Braxton Brown lifted her second of the day over the fence, bringing the score to 8-4, but two more home runs from the Bengals pushed ahead 12-4, bringing the Gaels into run rule territory. Unable to score in the fifth, the game came to an end in favor of Idaho State 12-4, the second most runs allowed by the Gaels this season. 

Sam Buckley hit another home run, as well as a double, going 2-3 in game two, and 5-7 thus far in the series with four home runs and nine RBI. He nine home runs this season are tied for third most in a single season in program history, and are the most since Sarah Lira hit a program record 12 in 2015. Braxton Brown hit her third home run of the season and her career, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough for the Gaels to rally against the juggernaut performance by the Idaho State offense in game two. 

UP NEXT
The Gaels will finish off their three game series in Pocatello tomorrow at 1 PM, before hopping on a bus to Logan to finish out their weekend at Utah State on Sunday. 

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