Lauren Hoe and Faith Hoe homered in the same game for the third time in their careers and senior Kortney Kemper launched her first career home run, but Weber State softball lost 12-8 to Idaho State on Thursday afternoon to end the regular season.

After one of the nation’s most difficult nonconference schedules, Weber State finishes the regular season 12-30 overall, which includes a fifth-place mark of 6-9 in the Big Sky.

WSU will open the double-elimination Big Sky Tournament, which the Wildcats will host, facing No. 4 Portland State at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 10. The winner advances to face Idaho State later that day; ISU earned the No. 1 seed with Thursday’s victory.

Idaho State clinched a share of the regular-season title with Sacramento State and will host next year’s conference tournament.

Faith Hoe hit a solo homer in the first inning to answer a leadoff dinger from ISU’s Skylar Sethman for a 1-1 score after one. The score remained that way for some time as a lightning delay derailed the action for about 45 minutes.

WSU fell behind but got the lead back in the third when Emily Ruhl singled in two runs and Kemper’s homer scored three, making it 6-5.

But a Kennedy Dudley bases-loaded triple put Idaho State up 9-6 in the fourth and the Bengals controlled the action from there.

Lauren Hoe’s two-run home run in the sixth inning was her 31st career homer; she trails WSU’s all-time leader Sara Hingsberger (34) by three entering the conference tournament.

BIG SKY TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

All games held at Weber State and stream on ESPN+

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

9:30 a.m. — No. 4 Portland State vs. No. 5 Weber State

Noon — No. 3 Northern Colorado vs. No. 6 Montana

2:30 p.m. — No. 1 Idaho State vs. PSU/WSU winner

5 p.m. — No. 2 Sacramento State vs. NoCo/Montana winner

THURSDAY, MAY 11

Noon and 2:30 p.m. — Elimination games

5 p.m. — Winner’s bracket semifinal

FRIDAY, MAY 12

1 p.m. — One-loss bracket semifinal

3:30 p.m. — One-loss bracket final

SATURDAY, MAY 13

1 p.m. — Championship game

3:30 p.m. — If-necessary championship rematch

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