Colorado State University Athletics
Softball Preview - UNLV and San Diego State
4/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 26, 2007
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Games 48 & 49 • Colorado State at UNLV
Friday, April 27, 2007 • Las Vegas, Nev. • 6 p.m. MT
Game 50 • Colorado State at San Diego State
Saturday, April 28, 2007 • San Diego, Calif. • 4 p.m. MT
Game 51 • Colorado State at San Diego State
Sunday, April 29, 2007 • San Diego, Calif. • 1 p.m. MT
Leading Off...
The Rams play their final four games of an eight-game road swing this weekend, traveling to UNLV on Friday for a double header against the Rebels and then heading to San Diego to take on the Aztecs of San Diego State University on Saturday and Sunday. Friday's double header against the Rebels begins at 6 p.m. MT in Las Vegas, Nev. Saturday's game against the Aztecs begins at 4 p.m. MT and Sunday's game is slated to begin at 1 p.m. MT.
The Rams vs. UNLV...
The Rebels currently own the all-time series advantage over the Rams, 22-25. In the Mountain West Conference, Colorado State and UNLV have each pulled out 15 wins. UNLV won the first two meetings of the season in Fort Collins., 11-5 and 5-3 (9). Last year, the Rams went 2-2 against UNLV before falling to the Rebels in the conference tournament.
The Rams vs. San Diego State...
The Rams are 26-33 all-time against San Diego State. Since the formation of the Mountain West Conference, however, the Aztecs have dominated the Rams with a 22-6 advantage. Last year, the Rams lost all four games to San Diego State. Colorado State swept the Aztecs at Ram Field earlier this season, defeating the Aztecs 13-12 in eight innings in game one and taking a 6-3 victory in game two.
Schedule Change...
The games against the New Mexico Lobos, which were postponed April 7-8, have been rescheduled. The Rams will now play two double headers in Albuquerque, N.M. on May 11th & 12th. The double header on Friday, May, 11 begins at 5 p.m. MT. The first game of the double header on Saturday will begin at 12 p.m. MT. The Rams will be the home team for two of those contests.
Last Weekend...
Colorado State went 1-3 on their latest road trip against BYU and Utah this past weekend. The Rams were swept in their two game series with BYU (10-6 and 10-3) and lost their first game to Utah 8-4 but topped the weekend off with an offensive explosion. The Rams offense scored 20 runs against Utah in route to a 20-5 win in Salt Lake City.
More Long Balls...
Colorado State continued to add to its home run total this past weekend by hitting seven more home runs. The Rams enter Friday's match-up with UNLV with 60 round-trippers through 47 games. Colorado State's 60 home runs has set a team single-season record by surpassing the 2004 team which hit 58 home runs. If the Rams keep up the pace, they are on track to launch 75 out of the park this season. Currently, Colorado State is eight homers away from tying the MWC record of 68 in a single season, held by BYU (2005).
Home Run Queen...
Senior Brittany Huerta now has 32 home runs for her career, tying the Colorado State career-record. The record-tying home run came in the fifth inning in the final game of the series against Utah and tied former NFCA 1st Team All-American Sara Fredstrom (1995-98). Huerta's home run was a lead off home run that started a three-run fifth inning.
Strick-tly Business...
Jessica Strickland has left an indelible mark in the Rams record book. The senior from Lakewood, Colo. already ranks in the top-five on Colorado State's career records in 15 different categories including first in doubles and saves and pitching appearances (118).
Three For .300...
Three Rams boast batting averages of .300 or better so far this season. Freshman Allison Majam leads the Rams with a batting average of .376 and junior Lauren Cusick is not far behind with a batting average of .357. Strickland rounds out the top three hitting at a .307 clip.
Outscoring the Opposition...
Through 43 games, Colorado State has outscored its opponents 225-210. The majority of the Rams' damage has been done in the third and sixth inning where CSU has scored 39 and 50 runs, respectively. Opponents have scored 35 percent of their runs (74) in the first inning (36) and seventh innings (38) against the Rams. However, CSU has battled back, posting a record of 5-7 when trailing after the first inning this season. The Rams are also 20-4 this season when leading after six innings.
Streaking...
Freshman Allison Majam enters this weekend's matchups at UNLV and at San Diego State riding an 11-game hitting streak. She is just two games shy of tying Lauren Cusick's season-high hitting streak of 13 games. Fellow freshman Ashley Munoz ranks second with a current hit streak of five games.
Off and Running...
Colorado State's offense so far this season has hit a conference leading 74 doubles. Strickland leads the team with 14 so far. Allison Majam ranks second on the team with 12 and Lauren Cusick ranks third with 11. The Rams also have five triples on the season. Cusick leads the team with three and senior Brittany Huerta has the other two.
Defense! Defense!...
Colorado State's defense has a notable .964 fielding percentage, second in the Mountain West Conference this season.
Leigh-ding the way...
Senior catcher Stacey Leigh leads the Rams in conference-play, hitting at a .462 clip (12-for-26) in seven games played. The Arvada, Colo. native, has also recorded two home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI and a slugging percentage of .769 this season against conference foes.
Freshman Fury...
Freshmen Ashley Munoz and Allison Majam swung hot bats for the Rams last weekend, combining for nine runs, 13 hits and five home runs. Munoz led the team with a .583 (7-for-12) batting average and added three runs scored, two home runs and five RBI. Majam hit .462 (6-for-13) with three home runs and six runs scored.
Moving up the Charts...
Senior pitcher Jessica Strickland pitched in three contests for the Rams last weekend, becoming the all-time leader in CSU history with 118 career appearances. She surpasses Kyla Kiester (1998-2001), who pitched in 115 games in her career. Strickland is currently second in games started with 75, seven behind Kiester and 1997 second team All-American Nikki Johnson (1995-97), who holds the career and single-season strikeout records.
