Preview: Rams Open Conference Action Hosting Nevada

Colorado State Rams (13-6, MW) vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (11-12, MW)
March 16-18 | Ram Field | Fort Collins, Colo.
Live Stats | MW Network

CSU Notes | Nevada Notes

THE WEEKEND
• The Rams will begin Mountain West Conference this weekend, hosting Nevada.
• Colorado State will face the Wolf Pack in a three-game series starting on Friday at 4 p.m.
• The two teams will also play Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., and finish Sunday at noon.
• Saturday and Sunday's games will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.

ON DECK
• Following this weekend's action, the Rams will head to Fresno State for a three-game series.
• All three games will be broadcast on Mountain West Network with game one starting on Friday night at 7 p.m. MT.
• The series will continue on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m., before concluding on Sunday at 1 p.m.
• All three games will be played at Margie Wright Diamond.

RAMS AT A GLANCE
• Colorado State recorded five wins last week at the Colorado State Classic.
• The Rams earned their first run-rule victories with wins over St. John's and Idaho State last weekend.
• The Rams scored 49 runs over the Classic, while holding their opponents to 14.
• Bridgette Hutton leads CSU from the circle with a 2.12 ERA and a 7-4 record. She set a career-high 11 strike outs against St. John's on March 9 and matched it the following day against Idaho State.
• Sarah Muzik has been carrying a big bat as she holds a team-best .484 batting average and .548 on-base mark. Her batting average ranks No. 20 in the nation and her on-base, No. 29.
• Corina Gamboa leads CSU with five home runs. She also has a team-high 15 RBI and five doubles.

SERIES HISTORY
• Colorado State holds a 13-9 all-time record against Nevada
• The Rams suffered three losses last year, dropping the three-game series in Reno.
• Prior to the 2017 season, CSU won the last two series - 2014, 2015).
• The 2016 series was canceled due to weather in Fort Collins.
• Over half of the Rams' losses to the Wolf Pack have come in the last seven seasons.

LAST TEN VS...
DATE                       TEAM            RESULT    SCORE
4/30/17                at Nevada              L            5-4
4/29/17                at Nevada              L            8-7 (14)
4/28/17                at Nevada              L            5-4
5/9/15                at Nevada              W            5-3
5/8/15                at Nevada              L              3-2 (8)
5/7/15                at Nevada              W            10-2 (5)
4/19/14                NEVADA              W            4-3
4/18/14                NEVADA              W            8-3
4/17/14                NEVADA              W            7-1
4/14/13              at Nevada              W            5-4 (12)

SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK
• Nevada finished its non-conference schedule with a 1-2 record at the UC Davis Tournament. The Wolf Pack's lone win was a 2-1 victory over Northern Colorado.
• Nevada posted winning records in its previous two tournaments at the Red Desert Classic and the Libby Matson Tournament.
• The Wolf Pack started their season in Mexico at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge posting a 2-3 record.
• Nevada then went 1-4 at the Desert Classic in Las Vegas.
• Erika Hansen leads the Pack with a .383 batting mark and a .817 slugging tick after blasting seven homer so far this season. She also has five doubles and 25 RBI.
• Sadaria McAlister paces the offense with 26 hits and is also dangerous on the bases with a team-high six stolen bases.
• Julia Jensen controls the defense from the circle with a her 3.31 ERA and 7-6 record. She has started 13 games and hurled 10 complete games with one shutout.

RAMS IN NON-LEAGUE PLAY
• CSU is 13-6 in non-conference games this season after picking up five wins at the Colorado State Classic, March 9-11.
• Colorado State will play a three-game series at Kansas March 30-31 and at Northern Colorado April 3 during its bye week.
• The Rams posted a 19-7 mark against non-conference competition in 2017. That included a 10-3 record across the team's three home tournaments and six wins against teams from the Big Ten or Big 12.

CONFERENCE OPENING RECORDS
• The Rams are 6-12 in Mountain West Conference opening games dating back to the leagues start in 2000 season.
• CSU is 3-5 in home opening Mountain West games, with its last victory coming in 2013 against UNLV.
• Colorado State is 3-7 opening conference games away from Ram Field.

HUTTON NAMED PITCHER OF THE WEEK
• Junior Bridgette Hutton was named Mountain West Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 21.
• Hutton was the first CSU softball player to earn a weekly award from the conference this season. The honor was also the second of her career.
• The psychology major posted a 2-1 record at the Hillenbrand Invitational, including hurling two complete games and the first shutout of the season with a 5-0 win over Tory.
• The Platteville, Colo., native allowed just four runs in the three games she appeared in, posting a 1.56 ERA.

RAMS LAST SEASON IN MW PLAY
• CSU finished 2017 with a 9-15 mark in league play owning 2-1 series wins over San Diego State and San Jose State - who are tabbed to finish first and second in the Mountain West in 2018.
• Unsurprisingly, three-time all-conference shortstop Haley Hutton was a standout in league action, toting a .372/.465/.455 slash line with 32 hits and 30 runs scored in 24 games.
• Hannah McCorkhill had a team-leading six homers against MW foes, while Lauren Buchanan led with 20 RBI.

TRANSFERS MAKING A MARK
• Transfer Sarah Muzik is making her mark for the Rams as the junior leads the team with a .484 batting average and .594 slugging mark, while carrying a .548 on base tick.
• The Hawai'i transfer also has recorded a team-best 31 hits and is 4-for-4 in stolen bases.

PETAKOFF'S PITCHING PROWESS
• Redshirt senior Larisa Petakoff is off to a great start, holding the team's best ERA at 1.56 across 18.0 innings pitched.
• She has appeared in seven games and allowed just 18 hits and four earned runs.
• She also has earned the teams only save, coming against Montana at the Hillenbrand Invite in Arizona.

GAMBOA HEATING UP AT THE HOT CORNER
• Sophomore Corina Gamboa has established herself as a threat at third base. So far this season, Gamboa posted 15 RBI with five home runs.
• She is currently third on the team with a .421 batting average and leads the team slugging .772.

COLORADO STATE CLASSIC HISTORY
• The Rams have hosted the Colorado State Classic the last eight seasons.
• CSU went 5-0 this season defeating Utah Valley, St. John's and Idaho State.
• Colorado State is now 31-12 in the tournament, dating back to 2010.
• Last season, CSU defeated Penn State twice during the tournament and rolled to short game wins against Buffalo and Idaho State.

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