Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
26-29, 7-16
Nevada
16-36, 6-17
Softball recap: CSU falls to Nevada in extra innings
5/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
RENO, Nev. -- Colorado State took an early lead Friday evening, but Nevada came from behind to beat the Rams, 3-2, in eight innings.
Sophomore Haley Hutton was hit by a pitch, the first of four-consecutive batters to reach base to begin the game. Hutton advanced to second on Haley David's infield single, and scored on a Shae Rodriguez base hit to center field. Senior Danielle Wikre was hit by a pitch and stole second, and with two outs Taylor Hutton walked, but the Rams (26-29, 7-16 MW) left the bases loaded, settling for one run.
"I thought we played some great defense and I am proud of them," Head Coach Jen Fisher said. "We had a couple of double plays, Taryn (Arcarese) had a lot of action and Haley Hutton had some nice plays. We were right in it, they just got some key hits like the single in the last inning that went up the middle."
In the second, sophomore Taryn Arcarese hit a one-out single to third base and moved to second when David walked and third when Rodriguez earned a free pass. Arcarese scored one batter later, when Wikre reached on a fielding error by shortstop Megan Sweet.
Despite have nine batters reach base in the first two innings, the Rams weren't able to move into scoring position again until the eighth inning, when Taylor Hutton walked and Savannah Clark singled to put two runners on with zero outs. Nevada's Megan Dortch buckled down, though, getting a strikeout, fly out and ground out to end the threat.
In the bottom of the eighth, CSU starter Trinity Harrington got the first two outs right away, but Molly McWilliams doubled to right field to begin a two-out rally. One batter later, she scored when designated player Nikki Orozco singled up the middle to score the game-winning run. It was the Wolf Pack's first lead of the game.
"We had to decide whether to play in and cut the run down with two outs or run for the fly ball," Fisher said. "In hindsight, we should have been in. I don't know how we could have played any better defense. I think Trinity did a great job, but they got the clutch hits and we didn't get the ones that we needed."
Nevada (16-36, 6-17 MW) scored an unearned run in the second inning, and tied the game in the fourth when two of the first three batters reached base. Nevada tried to take the lead on the next batter, but shortstop Haley Hutton threw out Orozco trying to score from third. The Wolf Pack left two runners on base in the fourth.
Despite being tagged with the loss, Harrington was strong in the circle, tossing a complete game and allowing just two earned runs. The freshman struck out four while walking two and allowing nine hits. On offense, Clark had two of CSU's seven hits. Wikre went 1-for-1 with two walks and an RBI.
"(Savannah Clark) started that double play and had a couple of nice hits," Fisher said. "It's exciting seeing the younger players participating and getting comfortable. I think she is one of them who will be in the lineup for the long run. She had a good day for sure."
CSU will close the 2015 season Saturday at noon MT. The game can be streamed for free through the Mountain West Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DORTCH, M (6-12)
L: Harrington, Trinity (5-6)
Batting:
RBI: Rodriguez, Shae 1 ; Wikre, Danielle 1
SH: Manzanares, Jaelyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hutton, Haley 1 ; Arcarese, Taryn 1
SB: Wikre, Danielle 1
HBP: Hutton, Haley 1 ; Wikre, Danielle 1
Batting:
2B: MCWILLIAMS 1 ; OROZCO, N 1
RBI: OROZCO, N 2
Base Running:
RUNS: PURCELL, J 1 ; MCWILLIAMS 1 ; OROZCO, N 1
SB: MARTINEZ, R 1
HBP: MENDEZ, A 1
