Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
21-20, 0
Utah State
15-24, 0
Softball recap: Rams come up short in series finale
4/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Following back-to-back road shutouts over the weekend, Colorado State has since dropped four-consecutive games, including a 5-3 decision to Utah State Wednesday afternoon at Ram Field. The Rams, though, once again did not bow down without a fight, scoring once in the seventh and having the tying run in scoring position when the Aggies recorded the game's final out.
"We came out with a lot of authority, we just have to put it all together," Head Coach Jen Fisher said. "We make a couple errors on defense and our bats aren't coming alive. We have to put runners on and make things happen. Hats off to Utah State."
CSU took an early lead in the first inning when senior Shae Rodriguez hit a two-out double and scored one batter later when freshman Savannah Clark hit an RBI single up the middle. Junior Holly Reinke and the Rams defense would keep the Aggies off the board through the first two innings, but Utah State (15-24, 7-5 MW) scored two runs in the third to regain the lead.
An inning later, CSU (21-20, 2-7 MW) would equal the score with an unearned run. With two outs, junior Jaelyn Manzanares walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. She was able to score on an infield single by freshman Hannah McCorkhill.
Both teams were held off the board in the fifth inning, including a nice inning-ending double play started by Reinke on a comebacker. In the sixth, though, Utah State regained the lead with a two-out home run by Alleyah Armendariz. The Aggies added two runs in the seventh inning to take a 5-2 lead entering the final frame.
CSU gave Utah State all it could handle, leading off the inning with a Taryn Arcarese walk and Haley Hutton infield single. With one out, Rodriguez drove in a run to cut the deficit to two. She advanced to second on the throw, putting the tying run in scoring position, but Utah State's Noelle Johnson worked out of the jam to end the game. It marked the second time in the series that CSU had the tying or winning run in scoring position in the seventh inning.
The Rams also had a scoring opportunity in the sixth, with the first two batters reaching base, but couldn't score.
Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Taylor Hutton reached base twice, while Haley Hutton had one hit and one run scored. Reinke took the loss, allowing five earned runs over six and one-third innings. Freshman Logan Losh pitched the final two-thirds of the seventh inning.
CSU's busy week continues with a three-game road series at New Mexico, beginning Friday at 5 p.m. MT.
"We have five seniors, but we also have seven freshmen," Fisher said. "We are young, so as a coach it's so hard to be patient  because you see what we're capable of. We can still make this a great year."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: JOHNSON, N. (13-10)
L: Reinke, Holly (9-13)
Batting:
2B: FROTON, H. 1 ; JOHNSON, N. 1 ; BUTTACAVOLI 1 ; HART, S. 1
3B: KOONS, J. 1
HR: ARMENDARIZ 1
RBI: KOONS, J. 1 ; FROTON, H. 3 ; ARMENDARIZ 1
SH: CHOW, S. 1 ; KOONS, J. 1 ; HART, S. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CHOW, S. 1 ; KOONS, J. 1 ; ARMENDARIZ 1 ; BUTTACAVOLI 1 ; CLARKE, J. 1
Batting:
2B: Rodriguez, Shae 1
RBI: Rodriguez, Shae 1 ; Clark, Savannah 1 ; McCorkhill, Hannah 1
SH: Wikre, Danielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hutton, Haley 1 ; Rodriguez, Shae 1 ; Manzanares, Jaelyn 1
