Softball Game Preview: Idaho Falls Tigers vs. Pocatello Thunder

The Idaho Falls Tigers will square off against the Pocatello Thunder at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.

Blackfoot hit Idaho Falls with a five-run first inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Tigers lost 9-2 to the Broncos. The Tigers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Alyssa Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and five unearned) runs on eight hits.

On the hitting side, Idaho Falls saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Shea Salem, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Meanwhile, Pocatello had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Monday. They walked away with an 11-8 win over the Bees.

The team relied heavily on Azlin Bullock, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Jakobi Nebeker, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with four stolen bases and one run.

Idaho Falls' defeat dropped their record down to 6-10. As for Pocatello, their victory bumped their record up to 13-4.

Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Idaho Falls hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .320. However, it's not like Pocatello struggles in that department as they've averaged .360. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Idaho Falls suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Pocatello in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.