Rams Look for Positives in Conference Loss

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. – After a tough loss, a team has to be realistic about what happens. It also needs to find some positives for which to move forward.

San Diego State came out slugging, scoring nine runs in the first two innings – seven coming in the first – in what would eventually become a series-tying 15-5 win in six innings at Ram Field on Saturday afternoon. Colorado State knows it didn't make the Aztecs earn everything, too. The Rams (15-8, 1-1 conference) committed four errors on the day, and misplayed a couple of other balls which could have been outs.

CSU coach Jen Fisher hadn't seen her team play like that to this point, so she's chalking it up to glitch. Even still, it happened, and they have to take note.

"Our defense had some major let downs, and we talked about how we have to play catch and throw. We have to play better," Fisher said. "We gave them about 60 feet 30 times. Divided by four, that's almost eight runs. You're gonna be behind the eight-ball when you do that. Chalk it up to an anomaly."

Part of the giving happened in the circle, where a trio of CSU pitchers issued a combined six walks, two hit batters and a pair of wild pitches. It creates traffic, and the Aztecs (16-8, 1-1) used the opportunity to produce big innings.

SDSU cleanup hitter Mac Barbara did just that with a 4-for-4 day at the plate and five RBI coming off two swings, both homers to right. Her two-run shot off the fair pole in the first spotted the Aztecs a 3-0 lead, her second was a mammoth shot to right, good for three more as part of a four-run sixth to help close out the game. At the bottom of the order, Makena Brocki had four RBI off just one hit, but used a walk and a sacrifice fly to aid the total.

Through three innings, SDSU starter Dani Martinez was working on a two-hit shutout when she was pulled from the game. That's when the Colorado State offense started to gain some life, with Hailey Smith greeting the new arm with a homer to center, the start of a two-run frame for the Rams capped with Caroline Buffaloe's RBI single.

An inning later, Smith would go deep again, this time a three-run blast to center, giving the Rams a sixth inning to play. For her, the at-bats were an important step, not just what they meant on the scoreboard, but what they reflected in her state of mind.

She misplayed a fly ball as part of the Aztecs' first inning, and she later had a throwing error. What she didn't do what carry any of that disappointment to her plate appearances.

"I think it's important. We talk as a team that mistakes are going to happen, but it's how you come back from that," Smith said. "I could easily be, 'OK, I should have easily make that play and now I bring it into my at-bat,' or I can clear it and score runs, make something happen. That's what we talk about a lot as a team.

"I was able to really rely on my teammates. They all knew I should have caught that ball; I knew I should have caught that ball. It wasn't like they lost faith in me. I knew they believed in me that I could make it up. That's all I was thinking about."

The Rams lost starting shortstop Maya Matsubara during the game at a play at second as she was trying to get back to the bag. Fisher doesn't think the injury is serious for the junior who missed most of last season with an injury, but she did have to exit the game. In came Morgan Crosby, who started at short last year with only 15 at-bats on the season.

She entered, played her position clean and had a pair of hits. Those responses matter, even in a loss.

"I mean, when I get my opportunity, I just want to go ball out and do the best I can out there," Crosby said. "I saw Maya get hurt so me and Jordan (West) grabbed our gloves and started throwing just to be ready. I didn't know what was going on in that situation, and in that moment, I want to be there for her and pick her up. It's hard to get injured and taken out of the game. It's being there for her and for my team and doing my best out there."

Even though freshman pitcher Delaney Saugstad was hit hard in the sixth, her first four innings were a positive for Fisher. Saugstad entered in the second with the bases load and no one out, but she recorded three successive outs, one of them a sac fly. She backed that up with two scoreless innings.

All of it was important for down the road to Fisher, but even on a day when the outcome seemed destined from the start.

"I think it's important in the outcome today just to try to extend the game and try to get as many at- bats as we can," Fisher said. "The more we see their pitching, the better. We were really just scratching and clawing, trying to score a couple to stay in the game and make them go seven innings."

The rubber game of the Mountain West-opening series takes place Sunday with a noon start.

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