Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, March 21
Fort Collins, Colo.
1:00 PM
Colorado State
18-15, 0
1
vs
3
Fresno State
21-10, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Fresno State
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
3
7
0
Colorado State
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
4
1
Softball recap: Bulldogs keep Rams' bats silent
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 21, 2015
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The Colorado State softball team took the field on Saturday against Fresno State for its second game of conference play. Despite strong defense and pitching, the Rams' bats again went silent as CSU fell, 3-1.
Fresno State (21-10, 2-0 MW) once again took an early lead, capitalizing on a CSU error. Junior Holly Reinke allowed a leadoff walk and early single, but looked to work out of damage before the fielding error let in the first run.
CSU was prepared to tie the score in its half of the first inning, receiving back-to-back singles by Haley Hutton and Haley David to begin the game. Senior Shae Rodriguez sacrificed them both into scoring position, but Fresno State got the next two batters to ground out and fly out to end the inning unscathed.
Both teams would settle down on defense after the first inning, and several Rams defenders made some acrobatic plays, including a diving stab by Hutton. The ball was sharply hit up the middle, but the sophomore shortstop reacted quickly to stretch out and make the highlight-reel play for the out. Neither team would record a hit again until the fourth, when Fresno State's Kierra Willis singled, setting up a Paige Gumz home run.
Trailing 3-0, the Rams got on the board in the fifth. Senior Taylor Hutton led off the inning being hit by a pitch. She was sacrificed to second on a Madison Kilcrease bunt, and scored on a Haley Hutton single up the middle.
Needing two runs to keep the game going in the seventh, Taylor Hutton again reached base to begin the inning, this time via a walk, but Fresno State got the next two hitters out. Down to its last out, Haley Hutton beat out an infield single, getting the tying run on base, but Taylor Hutton was caught trying to advance to third on the play to end the game.
"We're in a bat funk offensively," Head Coach Jen Fisher said. "We need to do a better job. You have to have an edge to hit; it's a game within the game, and I feel like we're being too soft. I don't think they can practice any harder or do more, they just need to bring more edge."
Haley Hutton went 3-for-4 with an RBI, accounting for three of CSU's four hits on the afternoon. Reinke tossed a complete game but took the loss, surrendering the two earned runs from the home run in the fourth.
"I think Holly came out and attacked the zone well, which is what we need from her," Fisher said. "Of course, Haley played an unbelievable game. She is an incredible player, and she made some great plays."
CSU takes the field again on Sunday for the final game of the series. First pitch is at 12 p.m. MT. Admission is free.
"For tomorrow, I think our main goal is to come out on fire," Haley Hutton said. "You could tell the difference between today and yesterday in regards to our energy level, so the main focus for tomorrow is to keep our energy level up and not play down to a level that we shouldn't be playing at. We need to play one pitch at a time."
Fresno State (21-10, 2-0 MW) once again took an early lead, capitalizing on a CSU error. Junior Holly Reinke allowed a leadoff walk and early single, but looked to work out of damage before the fielding error let in the first run.
CSU was prepared to tie the score in its half of the first inning, receiving back-to-back singles by Haley Hutton and Haley David to begin the game. Senior Shae Rodriguez sacrificed them both into scoring position, but Fresno State got the next two batters to ground out and fly out to end the inning unscathed.
Both teams would settle down on defense after the first inning, and several Rams defenders made some acrobatic plays, including a diving stab by Hutton. The ball was sharply hit up the middle, but the sophomore shortstop reacted quickly to stretch out and make the highlight-reel play for the out. Neither team would record a hit again until the fourth, when Fresno State's Kierra Willis singled, setting up a Paige Gumz home run.
Trailing 3-0, the Rams got on the board in the fifth. Senior Taylor Hutton led off the inning being hit by a pitch. She was sacrificed to second on a Madison Kilcrease bunt, and scored on a Haley Hutton single up the middle.
Needing two runs to keep the game going in the seventh, Taylor Hutton again reached base to begin the inning, this time via a walk, but Fresno State got the next two hitters out. Down to its last out, Haley Hutton beat out an infield single, getting the tying run on base, but Taylor Hutton was caught trying to advance to third on the play to end the game.
"We're in a bat funk offensively," Head Coach Jen Fisher said. "We need to do a better job. You have to have an edge to hit; it's a game within the game, and I feel like we're being too soft. I don't think they can practice any harder or do more, they just need to bring more edge."
Haley Hutton went 3-for-4 with an RBI, accounting for three of CSU's four hits on the afternoon. Reinke tossed a complete game but took the loss, surrendering the two earned runs from the home run in the fourth.
"I think Holly came out and attacked the zone well, which is what we need from her," Fisher said. "Of course, Haley played an unbelievable game. She is an incredible player, and she made some great plays."
CSU takes the field again on Sunday for the final game of the series. First pitch is at 12 p.m. MT. Admission is free.
"For tomorrow, I think our main goal is to come out on fire," Haley Hutton said. "You could tell the difference between today and yesterday in regards to our energy level, so the main focus for tomorrow is to keep our energy level up and not play down to a level that we shouldn't be playing at. We need to play one pitch at a time."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: HARRIS, H (6-2)
L: Reinke, Holly (8-10)
Batting:
HR: GUMZ, P 1
RBI: WILLIS, K 1 ; GUMZ, P 2
Base Running:
RUNS: MOSS, B 1 ; WILLIS, K 1 ; GUMZ, P 1
CS: MOSS, B 1
Batting:
RBI: Hutton, Haley 1
SH: Rodriguez, Shae 1 ; Kilcrease, Madison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hutton, Taylor 1
HBP: Clark, Savannah 1 ; Hutton, Taylor 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
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