Colorado State University Athletics
Sunday, April 21
Fort Collins, CO
9:30 AM
Colorado State
24-15, 7-7
16
vs
0
San Jose State
10-33, 3-11
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Colorado State | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | X | 16 | 13 | 2 |
Rams Rampage in Doubleheader Sweep
4/21/2024 3:23:00 PM | Softball
Lineup produces run rule for sixth time in seven games
There is hot. There is on fire. Then there's whatever the Rams are right now.
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Leave it to the pitcher who just finished presenting her engineering capstone to put it most eloquently into words.
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"I told Vicki (Dombeck, the team's communications point) we're just all gas, no breaks. We're not going to let up," Sydney Hornbuckle said. "I think in the lineup, back to back, we're passing the bat, and you find yours. We're finding our pitch to smash."
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After routing San Jose State in a doubleheader Sunday at Ram Field, Colorado State's softball team has won seven consecutive games, six of them coming via the 10-run rule after the Spartans were on the bad end of 16-0 and 14-0 scores.
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Now 25-15 overall, the 8-7 mark in Mountain West play has the team in position to earn one of the berths in the upcoming conference tournament.
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In the eight innings the Rams hit, they put up a crooked number in each. In the two games, the Rams collected 25 hits, 11 of them for extra bases, including four home runs. There were highlight performances in each game, but it was also production spread throughout.
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From their coach's perspective, they're doing it the right way, too.
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"We have a high intent to battle with two strikes. We have a high intent to pass the bat," CSU's Jen Fisher said. "I think we're trying hard to stay inside ourselves and not get too big, and it's hard to not get too big in a situation like that. We're not swinging into bad habits."
Â
In the first game, Hornbuckle earned the gold star. Not only was it her three-run blast in the first which opened up the onslaught, but it helped her own cause in the circle. As a pitcher, she worked a four-hit shoutout over five innings. As a hitter, she drove in five runs.
Â
In the nightcap, Peyton Allen led the charge with six RBI as she had hits in all three of her at-bats. In the two games, Allen was a perfect 4-for-4 with nine RBI and seven runs scored. They were having so much fun Hailey Smith took a friend of the team up on a challenge for one of them to the Fortnite Pogo Stick into home plate. After launching a missile to left to cap a six-run first, she obliged.
Â
Waiting for two days to get in a pair of a scheduled three-game set was part of the anxiousness to get back out on the field. And if NCAA rules would have allowed, they would have gladly played the third.
Â
"We're erupting. It's definitely very exciting, especially the past two days getting games cancelled," said Maya Matsubara, who was 5-for-5 on the day with seven runs scored, jumpstarted by a pair of doubles and a homer in the opener. "We've really been looking forward to them, so I think being able to get out here, the sun shining bright, it's so nice to be out here. I feel like we're all living in the moment."
Â
She also felt like she had three more hits in her. They all did after running through the entirety of the San Jose State pitching staff.
Â
Fisher would like to use more of her pitchers, but her starters just aren't giving her a chance. Serna threw three spotless innings in the second game, with Regan Wick tossing a pair in relief.
Â
Hornbuckle didn't strike anybody out, but she was creating weak contact in her start. It was her 12th win of the year and 10th complete game. Her 105 innings this season matches what she logged a year ago as she's won four consecutive decisions, and with all the run support, even better.
Â
"It relieves a lot of pressure. Let's just have fun and play relaxed," she said. "I think as a pitcher -- Â I can probably speak for the others -- it lets us do what we need to do. We can make some mistakes trying to do something new. Let's just play."
Â
On top of that, she's also hitting a robust .354 with 12 extra-base hits. She even played in the outfield while Smith was out of the lineup.
Â
"Syd's an amazing person. She's an amazing student and a fantastic ballplayer," Fisher said. "She's always wanted to hit and always been a good hitter, and we've relied on her this year. She's grabbed the bull by the horns. For the first three years, I kept telling her stop being selfish and worrying about your offense. This year I'm how come you're not getting in there and worrying about your offense. I'm super proud of her.
Â
"She's done an awesome job. She wants the ball and she's a great leader. She's just Syd. She's her own unique self, and everybody just loves it."
Â
She's doing it all on the field, and even off of it. She was scheduled to present her capstone with her group on Friday, and the constant delays in start times had her running back and forth to do her part.
Â
Like Sunday, she was stellar there, too.
Â
"I was running back and forth. I was there in the morning, but the game got pushed back so I went back," she said. "It was really kinda funny. I know the team has my back, and the support I feel from our staff, the team and my hitters, I'm just trying to have a good year.
Â
"The capstone was fun. We did a trailhead redesign of a parking lot at Greyrock."
Â
Parked some cars. Parked some Spartans, too. Parked a pitch, too. All by design.
Â
Â
Leave it to the pitcher who just finished presenting her engineering capstone to put it most eloquently into words.
Â
"I told Vicki (Dombeck, the team's communications point) we're just all gas, no breaks. We're not going to let up," Sydney Hornbuckle said. "I think in the lineup, back to back, we're passing the bat, and you find yours. We're finding our pitch to smash."
Â
After routing San Jose State in a doubleheader Sunday at Ram Field, Colorado State's softball team has won seven consecutive games, six of them coming via the 10-run rule after the Spartans were on the bad end of 16-0 and 14-0 scores.
Â
Now 25-15 overall, the 8-7 mark in Mountain West play has the team in position to earn one of the berths in the upcoming conference tournament.
Â
In the eight innings the Rams hit, they put up a crooked number in each. In the two games, the Rams collected 25 hits, 11 of them for extra bases, including four home runs. There were highlight performances in each game, but it was also production spread throughout.
Â
From their coach's perspective, they're doing it the right way, too.
Â
"We have a high intent to battle with two strikes. We have a high intent to pass the bat," CSU's Jen Fisher said. "I think we're trying hard to stay inside ourselves and not get too big, and it's hard to not get too big in a situation like that. We're not swinging into bad habits."
Â
In the first game, Hornbuckle earned the gold star. Not only was it her three-run blast in the first which opened up the onslaught, but it helped her own cause in the circle. As a pitcher, she worked a four-hit shoutout over five innings. As a hitter, she drove in five runs.
Â
In the nightcap, Peyton Allen led the charge with six RBI as she had hits in all three of her at-bats. In the two games, Allen was a perfect 4-for-4 with nine RBI and seven runs scored. They were having so much fun Hailey Smith took a friend of the team up on a challenge for one of them to the Fortnite Pogo Stick into home plate. After launching a missile to left to cap a six-run first, she obliged.
Â
Waiting for two days to get in a pair of a scheduled three-game set was part of the anxiousness to get back out on the field. And if NCAA rules would have allowed, they would have gladly played the third.
Â
"We're erupting. It's definitely very exciting, especially the past two days getting games cancelled," said Maya Matsubara, who was 5-for-5 on the day with seven runs scored, jumpstarted by a pair of doubles and a homer in the opener. "We've really been looking forward to them, so I think being able to get out here, the sun shining bright, it's so nice to be out here. I feel like we're all living in the moment."
Â
She also felt like she had three more hits in her. They all did after running through the entirety of the San Jose State pitching staff.
Â
Fisher would like to use more of her pitchers, but her starters just aren't giving her a chance. Serna threw three spotless innings in the second game, with Regan Wick tossing a pair in relief.
Â
Hornbuckle didn't strike anybody out, but she was creating weak contact in her start. It was her 12th win of the year and 10th complete game. Her 105 innings this season matches what she logged a year ago as she's won four consecutive decisions, and with all the run support, even better.
Â
"It relieves a lot of pressure. Let's just have fun and play relaxed," she said. "I think as a pitcher -- Â I can probably speak for the others -- it lets us do what we need to do. We can make some mistakes trying to do something new. Let's just play."
Â
On top of that, she's also hitting a robust .354 with 12 extra-base hits. She even played in the outfield while Smith was out of the lineup.
Â
"Syd's an amazing person. She's an amazing student and a fantastic ballplayer," Fisher said. "She's always wanted to hit and always been a good hitter, and we've relied on her this year. She's grabbed the bull by the horns. For the first three years, I kept telling her stop being selfish and worrying about your offense. This year I'm how come you're not getting in there and worrying about your offense. I'm super proud of her.
Â
"She's done an awesome job. She wants the ball and she's a great leader. She's just Syd. She's her own unique self, and everybody just loves it."
Â
She's doing it all on the field, and even off of it. She was scheduled to present her capstone with her group on Friday, and the constant delays in start times had her running back and forth to do her part.
Â
Like Sunday, she was stellar there, too.
Â
"I was running back and forth. I was there in the morning, but the game got pushed back so I went back," she said. "It was really kinda funny. I know the team has my back, and the support I feel from our staff, the team and my hitters, I'm just trying to have a good year.
Â
"The capstone was fun. We did a trailhead redesign of a parking lot at Greyrock."
Â
Parked some cars. Parked some Spartans, too. Parked a pitch, too. All by design.
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hornbuckle, Sydney (12-6)
L: REYNOLDS, Mia (3-13)
Batting:
SH: THOMAS, Korie 1
Batting:
2B: York, Ashley 1 ; Matsubara, Maya 2 ; Bohlender, Brooke 2
HR: Matsubara, Maya 1 ; Allen, Peyton 1 ; Hornbuckle, Sydney 1
RBI: York, Ashley 1 ; Matsubara, Maya 3 ; Allen, Peyton 3 ; Gates, Molly 1 ; Hornbuckle, Sydney 5 ; Bohlender, Brooke 1
SF: Hornbuckle, Sydney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: York, Ashley 3 ; Matsubara, Maya 4 ; Allen, Peyton 4 ; Gates, Molly 1 ; Hornbuckle, Sydney 1 ; Bohlender, Brooke 2 ; Coleman, Morgan 1
HBP: Matsubara, Maya 1 ; Coleman, Morgan 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
4
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballColorado State Softball: Highlights vs. San Jose State
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Colorado State Softball: Highlights vs. New Mexico
Sunday, April 07
Colorado State Softball: Highlights vs. San Jose State Game Two
Saturday, March 26
RamWire: Coach Fisher One-On-One
Tuesday, May 14