Players shine as Rams keep winning

Riding a six-game win streak, the Rams take their potent offense

and dominant pitching into a match-up with conference opponent

UNLV. Thursday at Rams Field, CSU looks to improve its record with

two more wins against a team they have already dominated this

season.

“We’re a better team and we should sweep them. We took the last

two games and we don’t expect any different this time,” junior

Steph Roberts said.

The Rams beat the Rebels earlier this season in Las Vegas by

margins of 5-1 and 7-3.

Now at 30-11 on the season with a 6-2 conference record, the

Rams have moved into second place in the conference standings. They

now sit one game behind SDSU, who will play CSU at Rams Field on

Sunday.

“We’re really happy right now with our conference record but you

know, we’re right there with San Diego State,” head coach Mary Yori

said. “These next few games are really important and we have to go

out strong.”

The UNLV Rebels are 22-27 on the season with a 4-6 conference

mark. Led by senior Bridget Byrne’s .414 batting average, the

Rebels offense hopes to break CSU’s strong pitching staff. UNLV

should be hungry for some wins after a couple close loses to SDSU

this past weekend.

Two players for the Rams that have stepped up lately are senior

Ricki Walker and sophomore Genevieve Kelly. Walker received

Conference Player of the Week while Kelly was named Pitcher of the

Week for their contributions against BYU and Utah. Walker, playing

mostly in left field due to a change in the lineup perpetrated by

injuries, batted .500 (6-for-12), with six RBIs, and home run in

four games last week. For the season she is hitting .425 with 31

RBIs. Kelly was just as impressive, but from the pitchers circle.

She fanned 11 batters in 11.2 innings while improving her record to

8-2 on the season with a 2.08 ERA.

While CSU players have been shuffled around the diamond, it

would appear that they have been unaffected. The last four games

the Rams have outscored their opponents 23-5.

If healthy, Katie Dean will resume play in center field but the

outfield will be without sophomore Jennifer Gardner. She is out

with an arm injury that will last at least three weeks. Prior to

the injury, Gardner was having a very solid year batting .362.

“We’re not exactly sure on the lineups yet but what we’re going

to try to do is get our best bats in there,” Yori said.

The double header swings into action Friday at 1 p.m.