Serna Comes Up Clutch in Win Over Boise State

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BOISE, ID. – Down to its final strike of the game, the Colorado State softball team found itself down one run with bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning with one of its best hitters up at the plate, senior Danielle Serna. With one swing of the bat, Serna would hit a double to left center on a 1-2 count, clearing the bases for the Rams en route to a 13-11 victory.

Coming into Friday night's matchup with the preseason No. 1 team in the Mountain West, the Boise State Broncos, the Rams not only faced cold and snowy weather, but a eight-game win streak held by Boise State after the Broncos started their conference season 3-0 last weekend over UNLV.

Determined to build off their own series win last weekend; the Rams and Head Coach Jen Fisher saw only what was right in front of them and focused on the task at hand in Friday's matchup.

"We've been saying all year, 'Respect everyone, fear no one' and I think we did a great job at being prepared this week coming into it," Head Coach Jen Fisher said. "There was no talk about any preseason polls or anything like that, I just think we showed a lot of maturity today as a whole."

Colorado State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning as hits from Molly Gates, Peyton Allen and Hailey Smith gave the Rams momentum from the opening at bat.

In the third inning, Ashley York got things started with a leadoff walk followed by four consecutive Rams reaching base including Serna, Smith, Maya Matsubara and Kaitlyn Cook. Feeling in control, Colorado State was able to hand a 6-1 lead back to its defense in the bottom half of the inning including ace pitcher Sydney Hornbuckle.

Boise State rallied back with three runs in the fourth inning, but the Rams continued to extend their lead as they tallied their second four-run-inning of the game in the top of the fifth. Starting things off with a home run from Smith – her eighth of the year moving her into first place in the conference – Matsubara, Cook, Gates and Allen would also all record hits to give Colorado State a five run lead after four.

The bottom of the sixth inning is where the Rams felt the strength of the conference's leading offense as the Broncos weren't going down without a fight. Taking advantage of three walks and two extra base hits in the inning, Boise State took the lead by posting six runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Entering into the final inning, two base hits from Makenna McVay and Gates set up senior Peyton Allen to draw a five-pitch walk in order to load the bases. In Colorado State's next at bat, York hit a hard line drive to second base, caught by the Broncos for the second out. Enter Serna up to the plate who had just given up six runs and the lead in the previous inning after she entered the circle in relief of Hornbuckle.

"I just kind of gave Nelly a look and she nodded back to me and even coming off that tough inning, I knew that she wanted to hit that ball more for her teammates than herself." Fisher said.

With two strikes, Serna delivered the game winning hit to clear the bases with a double and put the Rams up 13-11.
Hornbuckle would reenter the circle in the seventh inning to close things out on defense, finishing the day with 5.2 innings pitched, only allowing four hits and three earned runs in 29 batters faced. Serna would give herself the win in the circle with her double as she now moves to 7-2 on the season.

Colorado State moves into first place in the Mountain West, tied with Boise State at 3-1 in conference play. Game two of the series will kick off tomorrow at 4 p.m. from Boise.

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