Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, March 4
Fort Collins, CO
10:00 AM
Colorado State
6-10
3
vs
7
Wisconsin
7-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Wisconsin
0
0
0
2
2
1
2
7
5
1
Colorado State
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
8
1
Rams Drop Two in Home Debut
3/4/2022 6:20:00 PM | Softball
Colorado Classic schedule canceled the rest of the weekend.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Finally on its own turn, the Colorado State softball team faced two teams Friday to open the Colorado Classic, starting the day off facing Wisconsin, later tackling Utah Valley.
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Though both games were a battle until the very end, the Rams lost both games, 5-3 and then 9-7. But the team is still early in the season and every game is a chance to learn and grow, especially at Ram Field.
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CSU got an early start on the Badgers, shutting their opponent out until the top of the fourth inning, when Wisconsin drove two runners across the plate.
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The fifth inning was a struggle for the team, letting the Badgers get ahead of them by one with two outs already put away. The Rams couldn't surge ahead again.
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Despite the score, Colorado State still outhit their opponent by one, finishing with eight. Sophomore Hailey Smith had three hits for the Rams in the first game, pushing her average to .418.
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"I think we did a lot of great things in that game," coach Jen Fisher said. "We really just gave them too many bases. I think we expected to win that game, even though Wisconsin is in the Power Five conference, I honestly think we hit well, and we outhit them. We gotta fix a couple things on defense, and that's coaching. I'm excited about a lot of really positive things we saw."
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With only a few hours to recuperate and a lot of feedback from the coaches, the team faced not only the challenges of playing live on their home field for the first time this season, but also playing two games in one day.
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The team had seemingly no problem moving forward with their day, starting their game against Utah Valley without a hitch. Collectively, they scored two runs in the first inning and held their opponent scoreless until the fourth inning, where the Wolverines hit their stride and scored four.
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Not discouraged, the Rams came back with two to tie the game.
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During this time, Colorado State brought University of Hawaii transfer Jetta Nannen to the mound, and the pitcher couldn't be more excited to play back in Colorado.
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"It feels great to great to play for my home state," Nannen said. "The girls are great and extremely welcoming, and the coaches have been nothing but great. I was excited to play and have the girls at my back. I feel really supported and it feels really good."
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Nannen threw for just over two innings for the Rams before being relieved by Julia Cabral.
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By the top of the fifth inning, the team's fate was sealed. The Wolverines pulled ahead by three, which the Rams answered by putting up one.
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The following inning, their opponent put up another two, before a rally from the Rams tallied another two to cut into the lead.
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In a nail-biter finish, both teams had a scoreless seventh inning, handing the Rams their second loss for the day.
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"Overall, I think we did pretty well," outfielder Ashley Michelena said. "The communication and energy were there, it was just finally getting back in our home field, finally practicing outside, and we've had to be really adaptable for a lot of things, and we handled it really well. We trust each other as teammates on and off the field, and I think that helps. Sometimes we just take a pitch off and we need to be a little more focused and zone back in, and once we do that, we'll be unstoppable."
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Similar to the first contest, the offense took off, outhitting the Wolverines 12-10. Six of those can be attributed to Smith and Ashley York, each with three, followed by Michelena and Danielle Serna, both with two.
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"I think taking away what happened today and knowing what we need to work on for the future and working out of that will be really important," Michelena said.
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Though the outcome of both games wasn't what the Rams were expecting, the coaching staff and team are still walking away by focusing on the positives of the day. With 14 underclassmen, there is a lot left to learn for the Rams, and the preseason is the place for teaching.
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Fisher has faith the team will bounce back on Saturday, especially after working with the team on letting things go and moving on to the next game. Because of the weather report, Saturday's schedule has yet to be determined.
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"I think they were pretty disappointed," Fisher said. "Frustrated, disappointed, they hold themselves to a really high standard, so I kinda have to tell them to let it go tonight and come back and work hard in the morning, and they usually do that. They just need to focus on other things and get right back at it in the morning."
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Though both games were a battle until the very end, the Rams lost both games, 5-3 and then 9-7. But the team is still early in the season and every game is a chance to learn and grow, especially at Ram Field.
Â
CSU got an early start on the Badgers, shutting their opponent out until the top of the fourth inning, when Wisconsin drove two runners across the plate.
Â
The fifth inning was a struggle for the team, letting the Badgers get ahead of them by one with two outs already put away. The Rams couldn't surge ahead again.
Â
Despite the score, Colorado State still outhit their opponent by one, finishing with eight. Sophomore Hailey Smith had three hits for the Rams in the first game, pushing her average to .418.
Â
"I think we did a lot of great things in that game," coach Jen Fisher said. "We really just gave them too many bases. I think we expected to win that game, even though Wisconsin is in the Power Five conference, I honestly think we hit well, and we outhit them. We gotta fix a couple things on defense, and that's coaching. I'm excited about a lot of really positive things we saw."
Â
With only a few hours to recuperate and a lot of feedback from the coaches, the team faced not only the challenges of playing live on their home field for the first time this season, but also playing two games in one day.
Â
The team had seemingly no problem moving forward with their day, starting their game against Utah Valley without a hitch. Collectively, they scored two runs in the first inning and held their opponent scoreless until the fourth inning, where the Wolverines hit their stride and scored four.
Â
Not discouraged, the Rams came back with two to tie the game.
Â
During this time, Colorado State brought University of Hawaii transfer Jetta Nannen to the mound, and the pitcher couldn't be more excited to play back in Colorado.
Â
"It feels great to great to play for my home state," Nannen said. "The girls are great and extremely welcoming, and the coaches have been nothing but great. I was excited to play and have the girls at my back. I feel really supported and it feels really good."
Â
Nannen threw for just over two innings for the Rams before being relieved by Julia Cabral.
Â
By the top of the fifth inning, the team's fate was sealed. The Wolverines pulled ahead by three, which the Rams answered by putting up one.
Â
The following inning, their opponent put up another two, before a rally from the Rams tallied another two to cut into the lead.
Â
In a nail-biter finish, both teams had a scoreless seventh inning, handing the Rams their second loss for the day.
Â
"Overall, I think we did pretty well," outfielder Ashley Michelena said. "The communication and energy were there, it was just finally getting back in our home field, finally practicing outside, and we've had to be really adaptable for a lot of things, and we handled it really well. We trust each other as teammates on and off the field, and I think that helps. Sometimes we just take a pitch off and we need to be a little more focused and zone back in, and once we do that, we'll be unstoppable."
Â
Similar to the first contest, the offense took off, outhitting the Wolverines 12-10. Six of those can be attributed to Smith and Ashley York, each with three, followed by Michelena and Danielle Serna, both with two.
Â
"I think taking away what happened today and knowing what we need to work on for the future and working out of that will be really important," Michelena said.
Â
Though the outcome of both games wasn't what the Rams were expecting, the coaching staff and team are still walking away by focusing on the positives of the day. With 14 underclassmen, there is a lot left to learn for the Rams, and the preseason is the place for teaching.
Â
Fisher has faith the team will bounce back on Saturday, especially after working with the team on letting things go and moving on to the next game. Because of the weather report, Saturday's schedule has yet to be determined.
Â
"I think they were pretty disappointed," Fisher said. "Frustrated, disappointed, they hold themselves to a really high standard, so I kinda have to tell them to let it go tonight and come back and work hard in the morning, and they usually do that. They just need to focus on other things and get right back at it in the morning."
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carter,Brooke (4-2)
L: Serna, Danielle (2-3)
Batting:
2B: Gibbs,Megan 1 ; Freas,Jordan 1
HR: Shepherd,Kalena 1 ; Hogan,Aubree 1
RBI: Rebolledo,Linnah 1 ; Shepherd,Kalena 2 ; Gibbs,Megan 1 ; Hogan,Aubree 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Carr,Madison 1 ; Rebolledo,Linnah 2 ; Shepherd,Kalena 1 ; Thomson,Mikaela 1 ; Gibbs,Megan 2 ; Hogan,Aubree 1 ; Vasquez,Victoria 1
SB: Rebolledo,Linnah 1
HBP: Rebolledo,Linnah 1 ; Thomson,Mikaela 1
Batting:
2B: Michelena, Ashley 1 ; York, Ashley 1
3B: York, Ashley 1 ; Smith, Hailey 1
HR: Smith, Hailey 1
RBI: Michelena, Ashley 1 ; York, Ashley 1 ; Smith, Hailey 4 ; Serna, Danielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: York, Ashley 3 ; Smith, Hailey 2 ; Matsubara, Maya 1 ; Crosby, Morgan 1
CS: Coleman, Morgan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
4
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
p/1b
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/INF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
OF
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