Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
Oregon
Munoz homer lifts Rams over No. 20 Oregon, 3-2
2/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 8, 2008
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -- The Colorado State softball team (1-0) opened the 2008 season with a 3-2 victory over No. 20 Oregon (0-1) on Friday afternoon at the Cathedral City Kickoff near Palm Springs, Calif.
"I'm proud of the way our team fought back and stayed composed," said Head Coach Mary Yori. "We just kept battling and came up with big hits and strong defensive plays to hold on for the win."
The win, the Rams' first in a season opener since 2004, when they beat Cal Poly 1-0, also marked the third time in three years that CSU has defeated a ranked opponent. Last season, Colorado State beat No. 11 Cal, 2-0, and in 2006 the Rams beat No. 18 Oregon, 6-1.
The Rams answered Oregon's first-inning run with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomores Allison Majam and Ashley Munoz hit back-to-back doubles with two outs and Majam scored when senior Julia Kloppe hit a single to left field.
Oregon took the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Hannah Barril scored on an illegal pitch by junior Kim Klabough. CSU rallied in the bottom of the sixth with two runs. Majam singled to right field to lead off the inning and Munoz followed with a two-run home run to give the Rams a 3-2 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, Oregon had runners on second and third with one out. Joanna Gail hit a short fly ball into shallow right-center field. Sophomore second baseman Robyn Mask caught the ball to record the second out of the inning. The runner at third, Cortney Kivett, tagged and beat Mask's throw, but on appeal, was called out for leaving early to end the game.
Munoz and Majam each finished the day 2-for-4 from the plate. Majam scored two runs, and Munoz recorded two RBI and one run.
Klabough (1-0) pitched a complete game, striking out six batters and allowing just one earned run on 11 hits.
The Rams play their second game of the day when they face Portland State Friday at 7 p.m. MT.
