Softball Satisfied after Break
While students were out partying for Spring Break in Mexico or
California, the CSU softball team was hard at work in the Rebel
Springs Tournament over the break.
The Rams finished the week 7-2, losing some close games and
beating some quality teams. The team was scheduled to play three
more games, but due to weather the games were cancelled. CSU
started the weekend off slow, losing two of the first three, but
finished the weekend strong with big bats and six straight
wins.
“The players came out flat and with no energy to begin the
week,” said head coach Mary Yori. “As the week went on though, we
played better and were mentally sharp.”
To begin the week, the Rams played a tough game against Yale.
CSU held a 5-0 lead, when Yale started to piece together a
comeback. They strung together a few singles and managed to get the
lead from the Rams 6-5. After tying the game back up in the seventh
inning, the Rams lost 7-6 in extra innings. Junior catcher Kerry
Farrell and sophomore outfielder Jennifer Gardner both went 3-for-4
in the game.
“They never really hit the ball out of the infield, but they had
timely hits and put them together well,” Yori said of Yale’s
comeback.
A bright spot for the Rams this weekend was the play of freshman
pitcher
Jessica Strickland. Not only did she pitch well, but she also
led the team in offensive production. During the week she hit well
over .500, having two games where she hit 3-for-3 and one where she
went 2-for-3. She also recorded four home runs, with one
multi-homer game against Southern Missouri State.
“I felt really good about my pitching this week,” Strickland
said. “Spending time together helped us come together as a team
this week, which will only help us win games.”
In the tournament’s fourth game, the Rams saw the return of
senior pitcher Megan Masser. She had previously sat out eight games
with an injury to her throwing arm. She came in for relief of
JayCee Wood during the game against Southern Missouri State to
pitch two innings and pick up the save.
“It is a big boost for the team to get Masser back in the
rotation and put us back to full strength,” Yori said. “Although,
our three other pitchers responded very well to Masser being
out.”
After their slow start to the week, the Rams outscored their
opponents 39-6 in the six games that they won. Junior second
basemen Steph Roberts also had a good week, recording three home
runs. In the Rams’ 2-1 victory over Columbia, Roberts had a two-run
home run to seal the game. She also went 4-for-5, with a home run
and two RBIs, in the 10-0 win over Buckell. The Rams as a team hit
very well over the week, going .333 in nine games.
“We are very similar to last year’s team, but this year we are
definitely
hitting better,” Yori said.
The team will now have a week off to rest and prepare for
conference play. The Rams will start back up on April 3, with a
doubleheader against New Mexico in Albuquerque.
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