Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, April 11
Albuquerque, N.M.
1:00 PM
Colorado State
22-21, 3-8
3
at
4
New Mexico
23-20, 7-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Colorado State
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
3
2
3
New Mexico
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
4
11
3
Softball recap: Rams let lead slip against Lobos
4/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 11, 2015
ALBUQURQUE, N.M. -- The Colorado State softball team returned to the diamond Saturday afternoon for the second game against New Mexico. The Rams (22-21, 3-8 MW) led for the majority of the contest, but were unable to pin down the Lobos (23-20, 7-7 MW), allowing three runs in the final frame to lose, 4-3.
"They're like us, in which they're a team full of fighters," Head Coach Jen Fisher said of New Mexico. "We see that year after year and we just have to be on our toes, because even if you have a lead, they'll fight back. I think we match up well."
CSU entered the bottom of the seventh with a 3-1 lead and was riding on optimal defense with Trinity Harrington in the circle.
"Trinity was throwing a good game," Fisher said. "They had quite a few hits, but she didn`t let them string them together; she kept limiting them and limiting the damage."
However, a couple defensive miscues allowed the Lobos to rally in the seventh. A throwing error started the frame, and following a double and infield single, they had the bases loaded with just one out. The second error of the inning brought in UNM's second run of the game, to cut the Rams' lead to 3-2, and forced Fisher to go with freshman Logan Losh in relief.
Losh walked the first batter she faced, bringing in the tying run. The next batter flew out to shortstop, giving CSU its second out and putting the Rams in position to send the game into extra innings. Hignojos had other plans, however, singling to left field to walk off with the victory.
"We got to the point where New Mexico got through the lineup, and at the point where they had seen her (Harrington) enough, Fisher said. "We brought Logan in and she made the pitches we asked her to pitch, they just executed better than we did. They got the bat on the ball and hit it into the gaps. That's how we ended up losing."
CSU's three runs were earned off just two hits. Sophomore Haley Hutton scored the game's first run, leading off the game with an infield single. She advanced to third on Savannah Clark' single, and scored on a wild pitch. In the third inning, another wild pitch allowed Shae Rodriguez to score from a walk, and in the sixth inning, CSU scored an unearned run after Danielle Wikre walked and came around on a sacrifice bunt, wild pitch and fielding error.
"I think we had good processes and I thought our approach was good, but we're not driving the ball like we're able to," Fisher said. "We have to keep going back to the drawing board and try to figure out what the root causes are in our lack of offense. I don't think it's related to effort or mental approach or anything like that, we just have to figure out how to put more runs on the board for our pitchers."
In addition to Hutton and Clark's first-inning hits, CSU drew three walks and were hit by three pitches. Harrington took the loss despite allowing zero earned runs over six and one-third innings pitched.
The rubber match of the series takes place Sunday at noon MT. The game can be streamed for free through the Mountain West Network.
ALBUQURQUE, N.M. -- The Colorado State softball team returned to the diamond Saturday afternoon for the second game against New Mexico. The Rams (22-21, 3-8 MW) led for the majority of the contest, but were unable to pin down the Lobos (23-20, 7-7 MW), allowing three runs in the final frame to lose, 4-3.
"They're like us, in which they're a team full of fighters," Head Coach Jen Fisher said of New Mexico. "We see that year after year and we just have to be on our toes, because even if you have a lead, they'll fight back. I think we match up well."
CSU entered the bottom of the seventh with a 3-1 lead and was riding on optimal defense with Trinity Harrington in the circle.
"Trinity was throwing a good game," Fisher said. "They had quite a few hits, but she didn`t let them string them together; she kept limiting them and limiting the damage."
However, a couple defensive miscues allowed the Lobos to rally in the seventh. A throwing error started the frame, and following a double and infield single, they had the bases loaded with just one out. The second error of the inning brought in UNM's second run of the game, to cut the Rams' lead to 3-2, and forced Fisher to go with freshman Logan Losh in relief.
Losh walked the first batter she faced, bringing in the tying run. The next batter flew out to shortstop, giving CSU its second out and putting the Rams in position to send the game into extra innings. Hignojos had other plans, however, singling to left field to walk off with the victory.
"We got to the point where New Mexico got through the lineup, and at the point where they had seen her (Harrington) enough, Fisher said. "We brought Logan in and she made the pitches we asked her to pitch, they just executed better than we did. They got the bat on the ball and hit it into the gaps. That's how we ended up losing."
CSU's three runs were earned off just two hits. Sophomore Haley Hutton scored the game's first run, leading off the game with an infield single. She advanced to third on Savannah Clark' single, and scored on a wild pitch. In the third inning, another wild pitch allowed Shae Rodriguez to score from a walk, and in the sixth inning, CSU scored an unearned run after Danielle Wikre walked and came around on a sacrifice bunt, wild pitch and fielding error.
"I think we had good processes and I thought our approach was good, but we're not driving the ball like we're able to," Fisher said. "We have to keep going back to the drawing board and try to figure out what the root causes are in our lack of offense. I don't think it's related to effort or mental approach or anything like that, we just have to figure out how to put more runs on the board for our pitchers."
In addition to Hutton and Clark's first-inning hits, CSU drew three walks and were hit by three pitches. Harrington took the loss despite allowing zero earned runs over six and one-third innings pitched.
The rubber match of the series takes place Sunday at noon MT. The game can be streamed for free through the Mountain West Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SOLES (8-5)
L: Harrington, Trinity (4-4)
Batting:
SH: Hutton, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hutton, Haley 1 ; Rodriguez, Shae 1 ; Wikre, Danielle 1
SB: Hutton, Haley 1 ; Klein, Danni 1 ; Arcarese, Taryn 1
HBP: Clark, Savannah 1 ; Wikre, Danielle 1 ; Arcarese, Taryn 1
Batting:
2B: HEIMBURG 1 ; HALEMAN 1 ; ERICKSON 1
RBI: HEIMBURG 1 ; HALEMAN 1 ; HIGNOJOS 1
SH: FRANC 1 ; JOHNSON 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HEIMBURG 1 ; CASADOS 1 ; ERICKSON 1 ; STACEY 1
HBP: FRANC 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
0
RBI
0
Colorado State Softball: Highlights vs. San Jose State
Sunday, April 21
Colorado State Softball: Highlights vs. New Mexico
Sunday, April 07
Colorado State Softball: Highlights vs. San Jose State Game Two
Saturday, March 26
RamWire: Coach Fisher One-On-One
Tuesday, May 14