Colorado State University Athletics
Softball Preview: Fresno State Bulldog Classic
3/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 7, 2007
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Fresno State Bulldog Classic
Game 21: Colorado State vs. Toledo
Thursday, March 8, 2007 • Fresno, Calif.
5:30 p.m. MT
Game 22: Colorado State vs. Penn State
Friday, March 9, 2007 • Fresno, Calif.
5:30 p.m. MT
Game 23: Colorado State vs. Fresno State
Friday, March 9, 2007 • Fresno, Calif.
8 p.m. MT
Game 24: Colorado State vs. Penn State
Saturday, March 10, 2007 • Fresno, Calif.
12:30 p.m. MT
Game 25: Colorado State vs. Purdue
Sunday, March 11, 2007 • Fresno, Calif.
12:30 p.m. MT
Game 26: Colorado State vs. Iowa
Tuesday, March 13, 2007 • Sacramento, Calif.
2 p.m. MT
Game 27: Colorado State vs. Iowa
Tuesday, March 13, 2007 • Sacramento, Calif.
4 p.m. MT
Game 28: Colorado State vs. Iowa State
Thursday, March 15, 2007 • Sacramento, Calif.
12 p.m. MT
Game 29: Colorado State vs. Iowa State
Thursday, March 15, 2007 • Sacramento, Calif.
2 p.m. MT
Leading Off... The Rams head to Fresno, Calif. to face off in the Fresno State Bulldog Classic this weekend. The Rams will face the Rockets of Toledo on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Friday they will face the Penn State Nittany Lions at 5:30 p.m. followed by a matchup with the Fresno State Bulldogs at 8:00 p.m. Saturday includes one game for the Rams with Penn State at 12:30 p.m. On Sunday, they will finish up the Bulldog Classic with a matchup against the Boilermakers of Purdue at 12:30 p.m.
All-Time... Toledo holds a 5-1 all-time series record against Colorado State. The teams have not faced each other during head coach Mary Yori's tenure. Penn State and Colorado State have faced each other twice and each team recorded a win. Fresno State and Colorado State have played three times; all three in March of 2005 when the Bulldogs swept the Rams. The Purdue Boilermakers won the only previous meeting with the Rams, taking a 3-2 win on March 12, 1999.
Last Time... The last time the Rams played in the Bulldog Classic in Fresno, Calif. in 2001, they lost all six games.
Home Openers... Colorado State is 5-2 in home openers under head coach Mary Yori, all five consecutively dating back to 2003 when they opened against Utah. The Rams also faced Utah State in 2004 and Northern Colorado in 2006, getting 7-2 and 7-0 wins. Four of the six games resulted in shutouts. This year, the Rams easily defeated the Aggies of Utah State 10-1 in the home opener.
Solid Sluggers... Five CSU starters boast batting averages of .300 or better. Junior Lauren Cusick (.348), seniors Brittany Huerta (.345) and Jessica Strickland (.333), freshman Robyn Mask (.320) and sophomore Shannon Causgrove (.316) make up the group. All five improved upon their average this weekend.
Homeward Bound... Colorado State recorded six more home runs over the weekend to bring their season total to 27, through 22 games. Senior Brittany Huerta and freshman Robyn Mask each added to their personal records this weekend against Utah State. Each notched a home run in the first game of the tournament.
Mercy Rule... Colorado State had an impressive showing for their home opener. The Rams beat their opponents by at least eight runs in their three wins over the weekend. In the first game against Utah State, the Rams defeated the Aggies 10-1 followed by a 9-0 victory over the Northern Colorado Bears. Their final win of the weekend came against Northern Colorado, when they defeated the Bears 12-2.
Double the Fun... Senior Jessica Strickland notched four doubles over the weekend to pass former Colorado State player Sarah Fredstrom on the career doubles chart. Strickland passed Fredstrom with her first of four doubles over the weekend and now sits first with 55.
Topping the Charts... Junior Lauren Cusick tops the charts for Most Multiple Hit Games this season with eight. She is joined on that list by teammates Jessica Strickland (7) and Brittany Huerta (6). She is also currently second on the list for current hitting streaks with five games. This weekend, Cusick had a hit in all four games over the weekend, batting just under .500 for the tournament.
Perfect Pitchers... All four pitchers saw playing time this weekend. Each pitcher started a game for the Rams. Sophomore Kim Klabough got the first start of the weekend and pitched all five innings. She recorded only two hits and struck out seven. Transfer Cayte Billman started the second game for the Rams and gave up only one hit striking out five. Senior Jessica Strickland started the first game on Sunday and only gave up four hits while striking out nine, but couldn't hang on for the win. In the final game of the weekend for the Rams, freshman Rebecca Penland got the start and recorded her first collegiate win. She pitched all seven innings
Quartet of K's... Over the weekend, the Ram's pitchers recorded 29 strikeouts in the four games. Senior Jessica Strickland led the group with nine strikeouts against Utah State on Sunday. Freshman Rebecca Penland followed her with eight against Northern Colorado on Sunday as well. Transfer Cayte Billman and sophomore Kim Klabough each fanned five and seven batters, respectively.
Outscoring the Opponents... Colorado State has outscored their opponents 101-84 so far this season. This weekend alone they outscored their opponents 33-6. Strickland led the team this weekend with nine RBI.
