Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
23-15
Northern Colorado
16-30
Recap: Rams rally to beat UNC, 3-1
4/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
GREELEY, Colo. - The Colorado State Rams scored three runs over the final two innings to rally to beat Northern Colorado, 3-1, at Gloria Rodriguez Field on Tuesday.
Bridgette Hutton pitched a complete game for the Rams (22-15), allowing UNC (16-30) to only register a pair of hits.
CSU trailed UNC from the second inning through the fifth after the Bears scored once on an RBI double off the wall in right field.
That changed in the top of the sixth. Junior center fielder Madison Kilcrease led off the frame with a triple down the left field line, The ball flew over the outstretched arm of the UNC outfielder and kissed the paint in the left field grass, rolling far enough down the line to allow the Johnstown, Colo., native to slide safely into third.
Amber Nelson walked in the next at bat, giving CSU runners on the corners with no outs. Sierra Galbreath pinch ran for Nelson and advanced to second on a ground ball to third. Taryn Arcarese was then assigned to execute a suicide squeeze bunt to try to get Kilcrease home to tie the game, but the Bears defense gifted the Rams more than that by overthrowing the first baseman, allowing both Kilcrease and Galbreath to score and Arcarese to reach third base.
Kilcrease was at it again in the seventh, this time with Haley Hutton on base ahead of her. Kilcrease doubled to left center, scoring Hutton and increasing CSU's lead to 3-1 with only three defensive outs needed to win.
UNC had no answer for B. Hutton all game, as the sophomore rattled off a career-high eight strikeouts against just three walks and a pair of hits. Hutton struck out the first two Bears she faced on Tuesday and kept rolling for her ninth complete game performance of 2017.
NOTES…
- Bridgette Hutton's 8 strikeouts were a career high and tied for the most by and CSU pitcher in a single game this season (Kaylynn Pierce on two occasions).
- CSU beat UNC for the fourth time this season, twice each in Fort Collins and Greeley.
- In CSU's last five wins, the team has combined to allow just one run. CSU's pitchers boast a 0.20 ERA over those five wins. The Rams are 6-3 in their last nine contests.
- Madison Kilcrease tallied her second double and second triple of the season, giving her five total extra base hits this season.
NEXT…
CSU will host Mountain West foe UNLV for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. at Ram Field. CSU softball will acknowledge the support from fraternities and sororities on campus, and it will also be the "90s Game", with neon fanny packs being given away. Saturday is the Spring Sports Festival on campus, and there will be free water bottles given out at the softball game in recognition of Earth Day. The final game of the series on Sunday will be CSU's Pink Out, with 250 pink pom-poms given to fans.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hutton, Bridgette (6-7)
L: Reddacliff J (9-16)
Batting:
2B: Kilcrease, Madison 1
3B: Kilcrease, Madison 1
RBI: Kilcrease, Madison 1 ; Arcarese, Taryn 2
SH: Gamboa, Corina 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hutton, Haley 1 ; Kilcrease, Madison 1 ; Galbreath, Sierra 1
SB: Hutton, Haley 1 ; Arcarese, Taryn 1
Batting:
2B: Paige, L. 1
RBI: Paige, L. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Talmadge, C. 1
SB: Talmadge, C. 1
