Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
20-15, 3-7
New Mexico
10-33, 2-11
Rams Run Rule New Mexico for Second-straight Day
4/7/2024 3:25:00 PM | Softball
Season-high four team home runs and 12-run second inning reignites fuel for remainder of season
New Mexico went through more pitchers in the second inning alone than it scored runs in the entire game.
After a scoreless first inning, the Colorado State Rams slammed in a season-high 12 runs in the second inning alone, which contributed to an overall 16-0 victory over the Lobos in five innings. It was the second five-inning run rule game in as many days to sweep New Mexico in a two-game series.
The Lobos struggled from the circle early and often, particularly in the inning they gave up double-digit runs. But for the Rams to be able to take advantage, strict discipline was needed.
Four Rams were walked in the inning alone, most of them putting multiple runners on base. A lot of balls were coming their way, but some sneaky strikes painted the corners of the strike zone at times, too.Â
Enter the discipline. With runners in scoring position or multiple bases occupied, you have to pick your moments.
Jailey Wilson picked hers with pinpoint accuracy, both to open the scoring and to finish out the monster inning. First was a two-RBI double; last was a two-run home run to left center field.Â
In between, Ashley York recorded a three-RBI double, Peyton Allen hit a three-run homer and Sydney Hornbuckle joined the fun with a two-run shot past the right field wall. In the midst of wondrous Ram joy and Lobo chaos, New Mexico switched pitchers twice in that inning alone, mostly to no avail until a groundout and a flyout finally put an end to the frame's torture.
"When there's a lot of traffic on the bases, you can just suck the life out of them," Rams coach Jen Fisher said. "So the fact we had people drawing walks and getting on and then the home runs came and the big hits came, that's the key. If they're all solos, you're up 4-0 and you're afraid they're going to get a couple and all of a sudden, it's a game."
Hornbuckle's moon shot was her third of the weekend, the year and her career.
A coming out party of sorts for her from a hitting standpoint. The home runs were great, but she produced hits outside of the homers, totaling 5-for-6 on the weekend.Â
What made it even more special was the fact her contribution to the blowout allowed for her sister, Katelyn Hornbuckle, to step up to the plate. She earned a walk on her one at bat.
Most of all — which played to what Fisher has been trying to bring back to a team which needs a little more of it — the Rams had fun. Not just in that inning, but the entire game.
"(Innings like that) really let the team just have fun and have no thoughts," Sydney said. "I think it lets everyone kind of be free and just do what they need to do without thinking. And it was really nice because at the end, a lot of girls who weren't in the game got some chances, like my sister, and I was all for it. I just told her to have fun, too."
Allen, for the first time in nearly a month, returned to the home-run-hitting club, in which she also found a lot of fun. She hit two on the day — her first multi-homer game since March of last year — for a total of five RBIs, one shy of her season high.
She said the wind was definitely a factor — most of the day, it was blowing from the plate towards the outfield — but her team was prepared for it and wanted to take advantage of it from the first pitch.Â
For Fisher, the message, especially to the right-handed hitters, was to not get too "pull-happy" to where any contact resulted in the wind taking it foul. Mainly, it just went back to the discipline of each swing. Just pick your moments and pick the right swings, and any good contact will probably go yard.
Allen certainly picked her moments correctly, which for her was a nod to the preparation but also the confidence the team has for her and vice versa.
"(Hitting two home runs) was great. I think the wind helped me out a little bit, but no complaints there," Allen said. "But props to my team for getting on base the way they did. And they give me the confidence to be able to hit the ball and they always instill that in me every day. They're my biggest fans, so I just want to produce for them and that's what happened."
The Rams, now with a newfound confidence and a refreshed joy for the game, will take on Utah State from April 12-14.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Serna, Danielle (7-4)
L: LINTON, Amber (0-2)
Base Running:
CS: VASQUEZ-DICKSON, DeN 1 ; CHAVEZ, Keyannah 1
Batting:
2B: York, Ashley 1
3B: Bohlender, Brooke 1
HR: Allen, Peyton 2 ; Hornbuckle, Sydney 1 ; Wilson, Jailey 1
RBI: York, Ashley 3 ; Allen, Peyton 5 ; Hornbuckle, Sydney 2 ; Bohlender, Brooke 1 ; Wilson, Jailey 4
SF: Bohlender, Brooke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: York, Ashley 2 ; Matsubara, Maya 1 ; Allen, Peyton 3 ; Serna, Danielle 1 ; English, Kaylynn 1 ; Gates, Molly 1 ; Hornbuckle, Sydney 1 ; Bohlender, Brooke 2 ; Wilson, Jailey 2 ; Coleman, Morgan 1 ; Crosby, Morgan 1
SB: English, Kaylynn 1
HBP: Serna, Danielle 1 ; Bohlender, Brooke 1
