Softball Splits Double Header, Heads to Florida for Spring Break

Prior to taking in the sun in Orlando for Spring Break, the CSU

women’s softball team took in the Colorado sun at Rams Field

Tuesday in a double-header against Southern Utah.

Game one of a double-header went to the Thunderbirds, as they

used a strong outing from pitcher Lacee LePrey to hold CSU (15-7)

three runs on seven hits. Down 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh

inning, the Rams had a chance to come back with the bases loaded

but were unable to capitalize and the game ended 5-3.

Senior Ricki Walker was 3-for-3 with an RBI in the game. Pitcher

Genevieve Kelly started the game and had five strikeouts in four

innings. She also hit a two-run homer.

“I could see the ball real good today and I hit well,” Kelly

said. “But I think I still need to work on my defense. We will all

be ready for Florida though.”

The Rams turned it around in Game two, swinging for the fences.

Kelly again fared well at the plate with a three-run homer in the

fourth inning. Freshman Britney Huerta added another three-run shot

over the right field fence in the bottom on the fifth, to make the

score 7-0.

Huerta finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Walker went 5-for-6

combined in both games. The game ended 7-0 and freshman Jessica

Strickland got her first shutout at CSU, improving her record to

6-2. After the game, Walker said she felt Game one didn’t go as

planned.

“We should’ve taken it to this team, but we came back and did

what we had to in the second game,” Walker said.

The Rams look to continue with their hot bats in Orlando March

14-20.

Spring Break preview

Warm weather. Beautiful beaches. Disneyworld. Sounds like a

college spring break, and it is for the Rams. However, as the women

head to Orlando for a 12-game stand, wins, not beaches, will be the

top priority. Heading into the Spring Break, the Rams are a red-hot

15-7, the team’s best start in three years under head coach Mary

Yori.

“It’s going to be a nice atmosphere down there and it will be a

lot more laid back,” Yori said. “But the focus will definitely be

winning ball games.”

While defense was the base behind CSU’s success last year, 2004

has been all about the offense. At the plate, the Rams have been

taking turns stepping up. Solid leadership from Walker and junior

Steph Roberts has boosted CSU all season. Plus, in their solid

lineup no one can be overlooked.

“We’re stepping up to the pitches we’re supposed to. Personally,

I felt good at the plate and our lineup is really deep,” said

Roberts, who earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors, going

8-for-11 over the weekend against Utah State.

It was Roberts’ first Player of the Week award of her

career.