Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, March 6
Fort Collins, Colo.
1:30 PM MT
Colorado State
9-10
1
vs
3
Kennesaw State
18-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Kennesaw State
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
6
1
Colorado State
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
7
1
Rams Open Classic Play With Loss
3/6/2020 7:31:00 PM | Softball
Team still waiting for consistent bats
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The sight's become too common for Jen Fisher's liking.
Game after game, Colorado State softball is putting together hits, just not consecutively. There's a hit here, another hit there, all with innings separating them.
When they clear the fence, the trend is fine. In times they don't, the Rams struggle to support their pitching staff. Friday's 3-1 loss to Kennesaw State to open the Colorado State Classic for the hosts was the former and served as a microcosm of their early woes at the plate.
After a rough first inning for Rams' starter Taylor Gilmore -- in which she allowed three runs - she held the Owls scoreless despite traffic the rest of the way. Her seven strikeouts largely accounted for evading the trouble, which often came via four walks.
She doesn't use the lack of hitting as an excuse for any added pressure. It is something she seeks to remedy anyway, even if she can't grab a bat like past years.
"It's been hard. I actually stopped hitting last year so it's been a transition for me," Gilmore said. "I think it's about just being able to tell people, 'Hey, do it for me,' and just being loud in the dugout. I know it feels so much better for me when I'm on the mound if everyone is behind me, and I know that's the same for the hitters."
In seven games this year, the Rams have put up fewer than two runs. Those instances have yielded a 1-6 record.
Learning to adjust has been slow so far for the Rams. They've placed multiple new hitters into the lineup and enabled them to learn by trial and error. Once the speed bumps are smoothed out, the confidence should return.
"I think what's difficult is there's three to four new hitters in our lineup," Fisher said. "On any given day, there's four to five veterans in there. We're trying to find ourselves and we're giving some different looks to our lineup. We've got to get to where we're trusting ourselves, and I think it's something where experience is going to pay off."
Neely Peterson, Tyler Trott and Brooke Polenz all served as the newer faces in the loss, sandwiched by returning starters. The three combined to go 2-for-8, but have shown flashes already. Ashley Michelena's team-best 2-for-4 day was a glowing example of what each player hopes for soon.
"They're all kind of new to the everyday lineup, but I think they're right on the cusp," Fisher said. "I keep thinking we're going to bust out and see something like what you saw in the first inning of the halted game. It's frustrating in some ways, but experience is what they need."
In the halted matchup with Purdue – a game set to resume in the bottom of the fourth inning with the Rams trailing 4-3 on Sunday – they piled up three runs on a pair of home runs in the first inning.
During practice, the Rams are putting each player in situations they'll face in a game. Different combinations of runners on, outs and matchups have given them time to adjust to the pressure of the moments.
When they've failed in practice, players have often been harsher on themselves than the coaches – a formula which in time will pay off as long as their confidence returns.
"This week was all execution," Fisher said. "They're the ones that are more disappointed in themselves. I fight that with them more than any of the coaches being disappointed at them. In fact, I think they enjoy it when you put some game-like pressure on them. I really think, given the opportunity, we're going to get over that hump."
It's not a matter of if, but when for Fisher's lineup in her mind. The hurdles just need to be leapt before conference play begins.
Game after game, Colorado State softball is putting together hits, just not consecutively. There's a hit here, another hit there, all with innings separating them.
When they clear the fence, the trend is fine. In times they don't, the Rams struggle to support their pitching staff. Friday's 3-1 loss to Kennesaw State to open the Colorado State Classic for the hosts was the former and served as a microcosm of their early woes at the plate.
After a rough first inning for Rams' starter Taylor Gilmore -- in which she allowed three runs - she held the Owls scoreless despite traffic the rest of the way. Her seven strikeouts largely accounted for evading the trouble, which often came via four walks.
She doesn't use the lack of hitting as an excuse for any added pressure. It is something she seeks to remedy anyway, even if she can't grab a bat like past years.
"It's been hard. I actually stopped hitting last year so it's been a transition for me," Gilmore said. "I think it's about just being able to tell people, 'Hey, do it for me,' and just being loud in the dugout. I know it feels so much better for me when I'm on the mound if everyone is behind me, and I know that's the same for the hitters."
In seven games this year, the Rams have put up fewer than two runs. Those instances have yielded a 1-6 record.
Learning to adjust has been slow so far for the Rams. They've placed multiple new hitters into the lineup and enabled them to learn by trial and error. Once the speed bumps are smoothed out, the confidence should return.
"I think what's difficult is there's three to four new hitters in our lineup," Fisher said. "On any given day, there's four to five veterans in there. We're trying to find ourselves and we're giving some different looks to our lineup. We've got to get to where we're trusting ourselves, and I think it's something where experience is going to pay off."
Neely Peterson, Tyler Trott and Brooke Polenz all served as the newer faces in the loss, sandwiched by returning starters. The three combined to go 2-for-8, but have shown flashes already. Ashley Michelena's team-best 2-for-4 day was a glowing example of what each player hopes for soon.
"They're all kind of new to the everyday lineup, but I think they're right on the cusp," Fisher said. "I keep thinking we're going to bust out and see something like what you saw in the first inning of the halted game. It's frustrating in some ways, but experience is what they need."
In the halted matchup with Purdue – a game set to resume in the bottom of the fourth inning with the Rams trailing 4-3 on Sunday – they piled up three runs on a pair of home runs in the first inning.
During practice, the Rams are putting each player in situations they'll face in a game. Different combinations of runners on, outs and matchups have given them time to adjust to the pressure of the moments.
When they've failed in practice, players have often been harsher on themselves than the coaches – a formula which in time will pay off as long as their confidence returns.
"This week was all execution," Fisher said. "They're the ones that are more disappointed in themselves. I fight that with them more than any of the coaches being disappointed at them. In fact, I think they enjoy it when you put some game-like pressure on them. I really think, given the opportunity, we're going to get over that hump."
It's not a matter of if, but when for Fisher's lineup in her mind. The hurdles just need to be leapt before conference play begins.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bennett,Melanie (4-2)
L: Gilmore, Taylor (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Lee,Jade 1
RBI: Solorzano,Lexi 2 ; Lee,Jade 1
SH: Alexander,Faith 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thomason,Hannah 1 ; Dickey,Brea 1 ; Sales,Cheyanne 1
SB: Alexander,Faith 1
CS: Summey,Andrea 1
HBP: Vannavong,Kylie 1
Batting:
2B: Shadowen, Tara 1
RBI: Shadowen, Tara 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Polenz, Brooke 1
PO: Michelena, Ashley 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
C
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