March 7, 2010

Game 1 | Game 2

By Tawny Dennis
Athletic Media Relations

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State defeated South Dakota State twice on Sunday at Ram Field to finish the 2010 Colorado State Classic 5-0, claiming the tournament title. The Rams beat the Jackrabbits 6-0 in the first game and followed with a 6-3 victory in Game 2.

"It was nice to see our players step up and contribute today," Head Coach Mary Yori said. "We got production from the entire lineup and our team continues to improve and show mental toughness."

In Game 1, Junior Cailtan Stem gave Colorado State an early 1-0 lead when she led off the bottom half of the first inning with a solo shot to center field.

The Rams extended their lead to 2-0 in the third inning when senior Rebecca Penland singled to center field to plate sophomore Jenna Krogh after she singled to the pitcher earlier in the inning.

Colorado State added a third run in the following frame after seniors Ashley Munoz and Robyn Mask led off the inning with back-to-back doubles.

The Rams jumped out to a 6-0 advantage in the sixth inning, recording three runs on three hits. Penland led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a South Dakota State error. Freshman Brianna Donahue entered the game to pinch run for Penland and scored when Mask reached on an error by Jackrabbit second baseman Kelsey Lunn. Lyssa Roberts added two more runs to Colorado State's total when she doubled to right field to plate Mask and Munoz.

South Dakota State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second game of the day, but Colorado State tied it at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning.

Penland gave the Rams their first run when she doubled to left center to plate sophomore Christine Thomsen, who led off the inning with a walk. Penland scored the tying run later in the inning when Mask singled to center field.

Colorado State grabbed a 4-2 lead in the following frame after sophomore Dani Chaplin led off the inning with a double to right center. Thomsen singled to right field to plate Krogh and sophomore Lyssa Roberts, who entered the game as a pinch runner for Chaplin.

Stem recorded the final two RBI for the Rams in the fifth inning when she singled through the right side to plate Mask and sophomore Amilia Stephens.

South Dakota State scored a run in the top of the seventh, but sophomore Kelli Eubanks secured Colorado State's 12th victory with her second save this season.

Chaplin started in the circle, tossing four innings before being relieved by Eubanks, who threw the final three innings for the Rams.

North Dakota finished in second place with a 3-2 record at the Colorado State Classic. The Bison won a head-to-head tiebreaker with Utah State, who also finished 3-2. South Dakota State finished with a 1-3 record and Utah Valley concluded the tournament with a 0-5 mark.

Colorado State heads to Fresno, Calif., for the Bayer CropScience Classic beginning Thursday with a 5:30 p.m. first pitch against Cal State Northridge.  The Rams will also face Mississippi State, host Fresno State, Georgetown and East Tennessee State over the weekend.