Quote from Bronco7454 on September 30, 2024, 7:58 am

I attended Boise State's first 2024 fall exhibition softball game which was played at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, ID., last Friday.   I could only stay for the first four innings but the following is what I observed.  The starting lineup for Boise State was made up exclusively of players who were on the Boise State softball team last season.  NONE of the eleven incoming players played in the first four innings for Boise State.  Returning starters are listed in Bold print:

The batting lineup was the following:

# 2 - Sophia Knight - True Sophomore - CF - Started 58 of 59 games last season in CF

# 13 - Mykenzie Hanna - Senior - LF - Started 49 of 59 games last season in RF (2023 starter in CF)

# 20 - Brooklyn Pettis - Senior - DH - Started 24 of 59 games last season at C (Co-starter at C)

# 00 - Sydney Groves - Junior - 1B - Started 30 of 59 games last season at 1B

# 35 - Leah McAnally - True Sophomore - C - Started 35 of 59 games last season at C (Co-starter at C)

# 31 - Hollie Farmer - Junior - SS - Started 37 of 59 games last season at 3B

# 6 - Megan Lake - Senior - RF - Started 13 games last season in LF

# 19 - Skylar Stroh - True Sophomore - 3B - Started 2 games last season at 2B

# 7 - Keely Gousha - True Sophomore - 2B - Started 39 of 59 games last season at SS

 

The starting pitcher was # 22 - Brook Thompson - Senior.  Thompson pitched 3 2/3 innings before being relieved by Abby Dowell.  Previously Thompson had been used mostly as a relief pitcher.  Now - with the departure of Jenna Bloom - it appears she has been designated as one of the starting pitchers.

The score was 8-0 Boise State when I had to leave with 2 outs in the bottom of the 4th inning.

Sophia Romero, who redshirted last season because of a death in her family, came into the game as a pinch-runner for Sydney Groves in the 4th inning I believe.   They may have played some of the eleven new additions to the team after I left but obviously I have no knowledge of that.

Lastly Jenna Bloom, the 2023 Arkansas transfer, who was one of the three primary pitchers last season for Boise State and was said to be returning for the 2025 season is no longer on the Boise State softball team roster.   I don't know what happened with her but it seems clear that the two primary pitchers for Boise State for the 2025 season will likely be Brook Thompson (Senior) and Abby Dowell (Sophomore).   I would think, with Bloom's departure, that they would be trying to add a pitcher from the transfer portal.  But of course that is assuming that there is a pitcher worth bringing in still remaining in the transfer portal at this point.  If they don't bring in a transfer pitcher they will be relying on Thompson and Dowell and these three incoming true freshmen pitchers:

Shannon Keirghran – 2025 True FR – 5' 5” - St. Francis H.S. In Burlingame, CA.

Olivia Bauer – 2025 True FR – 5' 4” - Sutter H.S. In Marysville, CA.

Julianne Rose – 2025 True FR - 5' 11 – Bothel H.S. In Bothell, WA.

P.S. Boise State has seven fall exhibition softball games scheduled this year and NONE OF THEM will be played on Boise State's home field in Boise.  I suspect this is due to the installation of the blue infield turf on the Boise State home softball field.   Or at least I assume it's only being installed in the infield.