Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
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Nebraska
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Softball recap: CSU opens 2015 season with split
2/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CSU-Nebraska Box Score | CSU-Texas Tech Box Score
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Colorado State softball began its 2015 season on Friday at the Hotel Encanto Invitational, splitting on the day against No. 18/20 Nebraska and Texas Tech.
Game 1: No. 18/20 Nebraska 9, Colorado State 1
Head Coach Jen Fisher and the Rams were eager to begin the season, but they had to wait an extra 90 minutes due to the previous game going long. Once the action began, the Rams hung with one of the top teams in the country, trailing just 2-1 entering the fifth inning.
The Huskers offense cracked open in the fifth, however, scoring seven runs to end the game due to mercy rule, 9-1. Junior Holly Reinke took the loss, allowing seven earned runs over four and one-third innings. Senior Molly Randle came in to relieve Reinke, but faced just one batter before a hit and error ended the game.
On offense, four Rams reached base. Randle, who started the game as the designated player, had an RBI single in the fourth, bringing in senior first baseman Danielle Wikre, who had walked. Sophomore shortstop Haley Hutton reached base via a hit by pitch, while junior catcher Jaelyn Manzanares had the Rams’ other hit. Wikre also reached base on an error in the second inning.
A big reason why CSU was able to hold Nebraska to two runs over the first four innings was the team’s defense. The first and third innings ended on double plays. Nebraska’s first run came on a home run. The seven-run fifth featured five hits and two CSU errors.
Game 2: Colorado State 8, Texas Tech 2
Just a few hours after its season-opening loss, CSU was back on the field to take on another team from a Power-5 conference. This time, the Rams came out on the winning end, defeating Texas Tech, 8-2.
Clinging to a 4-2 lead entering the bottom of the sixth, the Rams blew the game open with four runs, including a three-run home run from senior right fielder Taylor Hutton.
Haley Hutton led off the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a Haley David sacrifice bunt. Manzanares singled one batter later and pinch runner Taryn Arcarese stole second, setting up an RBI single for Wikre. After a change of pitchers, Wikre got into scoring position with a stolen base, but it wouldn’t matter, because on the same at-bat Taylor Hutton homered, making the score 8-2.
Sophomore Larisa Petakoff earned the win in the circle, pitching four innings and allowing just one earned run. Trinity Harrington made her collegiate debut, tossing three innings and striking out three. The freshman allowed two hits, zero walks and one run.
The Red Raiders out-hit the Rams, 8-7, but CSU was also able to take advantage of seven walks and two Texas Tech errors. Each Rams starter reached base, with seniors David, Taylor Hutton and Shae Rodriguez getting two hits apiece.
Texas Tech took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third, stringing together back-to-back hits, but the Rams countered in the bottom half of the inning. Randle led off the frame with a walk, and advanced two bases on a pair of Red Raiders errors before stealing home to knot the score at 1-1. The Rams added two more runs in the fourth – with RBI singles from Haley Hutton and David, two of four CSU hits that inning – and one in the fifth on a Savannah Clark RBI single that brought home Rodriguez, who had doubled two batters earlier.
The Red Raiders had a chance to score in the first inning, with their first two batters to the game reaching base, but with runners on second and third and one out, Petakoff got the next batter to line into an unassisted double play to Haley Hutton. In the seventh, Harrington shook off an error from one of her teammates to begin the inning by getting the next three batters to end the game.
CSU returns to the diamond Saturday for the second day of the tournament. The Rams will face Montana at 1:30 p.m. before playing UTSA at 6 p.m. Live stats can be found here.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McClure (1-0)
L: Reinke, Holly (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: Randle, Molly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wikre, Danielle 1
HBP: Hutton, Haley 1
Batting:
2B: Pasquale 1
HR: McClure 1
RBI: Armstrong 1 ; Knighten 2 ; McClure 1 ; Muir 2 ; Pasquale 1 ; Fowler 1
SH: Fowler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stokes 1 ; Armstrong 1 ; Knighten 1 ; McClure 1 ; Sjulin 1 ; Muir 2 ; Woolman 1 ; Barrow 1
HBP: Armstrong 2 ; Muir 1
