Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
18-22, 4-10
Fresno State
34-9-1, 15-0
Recap: Bulldogs take series over Rams in the final game
4/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score
Season Stats
FRESNO, Calif. - The Colorado State softball team (18-22, 4-10 MW) faced No. 20 Fresno State on Sunday for their final game of the California road series. The Rams stayed tough, but were unable to overcome the Bulldogs, dropping the finale 7-2.
Fresno State (34-9-1, 15-0 MW) started the game on the right side of the bat to take the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first. The defensive team, including starting pitcher, Holly Reinke, was not fazed by the show in power as they locked down to record a final strikeout.
The second inning was a couple of goose eggs as neither team could score. The Rams broke through the defensive wall to score one in the bottom of the third thanks to a sacrifice fly by Taryn Arcarese that scored Haley Hutton from a triple. The Bulldogs also got their bats firing in the fourth as the Rams gave them a new pitching look, substituting rookie Bridgette Hutton for veteran Reinke. This maneuver slowed them down for a couple of outs, but Fresno State was still able to score four runs.
Leading 6-1, the Bulldogs scored another run in the bottom of the fifth. The Rams tried for a rally in the top of the seventh when pinch runner Kirsten Kauk scored on a double by Madison Kilcrease. However, the Bulldogs' senior pitcher, Jill Compton, kept them in line to secure the win 7-2.
IN THEIR WORDS...
"I thought we fought hard again and stuck to our game plan. We didn't quite string them together as we hoped; Compton is a very good pitcher so she has the ability to stop rallies. Overall we got better this weekend and it's good to play teams like that because there are freshmen and sophomores that get in a lot of time." -- CSU Head Coach Jen Fisher on facing Fresno State
"We thought they had really struggled with Bridgette's movement the day before. Going with Holly and then Bridgette is a good combination because it's a very different look. I thought she threw really well. We made the change when the bases were loaded in that inning and Holly just wanted it so bad. There was some frustration on her part because we thought there were a couple of calls that could have gone her way." -- Fisher on the B. Hutton, Reinke combination
STAT OF THE DAY
- Haley Hutton reached base perfectly four times on Sunday, contributing to her .563 on base percentage.
NOTES...
- Jaelyn Manzanares doubled twice (fourth for the weekend) to put her at 10 doubles of the season.
- Haley Hutton posted another unique feat, reaching base during today's game in four different ways. This was done with a single, a triple, a bunt, and a walk.
- It's the small things. The Rams out hit the Bulldogs 8-7 and struck out less than the highly ranked team, heading straight out of the batter's box three times to the Bulldog's six.
NEXT...
The Rams continue their road series against Utah State, heading to Logan, Utah for three games over two days to make up time lost earlier in the season due to weather. The first Aggies vs. Rams game starts at 2:30 pm MT on Monday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: COMPTON, J (20-4)
L: Reinke, Holly (11-10)
Batting:
2B: Manzanares, Jaelyn 2 ; Kilcrease, Madison 1
3B: Hutton, Haley 1
RBI: Arcarese, Taryn 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Hutton, Haley 1 ; Kauk, Kirsten 1
Batting:
3B: WILLMON, L 2
RBI: GUMZ, P 1 ; WILLMON, L 3 ; JACKSON, D 2
Base Running:
RUNS: WILLIS, K 2 ; VILLALPANDO 2 ; GUMZ, P 1 ; WILLMON, L 2
SB: RIVERS, M 2 ; RODRIGUEZ, C 1
CS: SMITH, W 1
