The Boise State softball team has become the team to beat this season in the Mountain West. The Broncos enter this weekend's series against New Mexico in first place in the conference and they're looking at their first NCAA tournament bid in program history. Not bad for a team that had never made it to the post-season before last year.
The Broncos have enjoyed proving people wrong this season. Prior to the year beginning the league's, coaches had Boise State finishing seventh. The Broncos have a chance to clinch the Mountain West title this weekend and once again prove the naysayers wrong.
"My initial point of coming here was to change a program, to turn it around and that was my thought from signing from day one. I told my parents I wanted to be involved in turning a program around,” said junior infielder Rebekah Cervantes.
Boise State had just 14 wins in 52 games and finished last in the conference two years ago.
Fast forward to now the Broncos need only to win two games this weekend to earn the first conference title in program history.
"It helped build our culture and helped build our character as well. Going through that struggle that's a huge part of where we are,” said infielder Makenzie Sullivan.
Boise State has been on cruise control going 10-1 in their previous 11 games. In that stretch, Boise State has swept two series. The Broncos are also leading the nation in batting average at .355.
"I really credit are hitting. We have seven pitchers you don't get to see a lot of them out there in the starting lineup and in the closing roles but from one to seven they could all be starters at any other program. We get two or three pitchers throwing live every single day and that's really helped us. I don't know how much more we could ask for as far as the hitters go," said Head Coach Cindy Ball.
Winning the Mountain West title this weekend would also give Boise State the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
"It been a dream of mine I want to play in the World Series and I think we have the tools in the shed to do that,” said sophomore Kelsey Broadus.
Boise State will honor four seniors on Saturday along with hosting bark in the park as dogs will be allowed in at Dona Larsen park with the first 50 pooches receiving a free Boise state dog bandana.
