April 16, 2008

Box Score

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Snow in the area couldn't stop Northern Colorado's softball team Wednesday afternoon.

But six errors and three home runs by Colorado State were able to. The end result? An 11-3, five-inning defeat for Northern Colorado.

The Rams (21-16) struck early and took a 2-0 lead by the end of the first inning and 5-1 lead by the end of the second.

But the Bears (7-31) fought back in their portion of the third and got to within 5-3. But that's as close as they would get.

Colorado State scored three runs in the bottom of the third and three more in the fifth -- thanks to four errors -- and cruised to an easy win.

Kelli Henderson (1-8) started in the circle for Northern Colorado, but she lasted just 1 2/3 innings. She gave up five runs on four hits and struck out none.

A light snow fell during much of the first few innings, but it only seemed to cool the Bears' bats. The Rams had nine hits in the game and those three roundtrippers.

Northern Colorado did score those two runs in the third inning, but they could have had more. After sophomore Jessie Schoepflin reached base with a single and junior Hillarie Van Otterloo did the same, the Bears loaded the bases when senior Mackenzie Barrett was hit by a pitch. Junior Katelyn Landorf then scored the pair when she reached on an error by Colorado State first baseman Eranne Daugharthy. But Courtney Maihi couldn't keep the rally alive -- she grounded out to the third baseman.

The Rams then led off the third with back-to-back home runs, and the tone was set for the rest of the game.

Northern Colorado will only get a little time to think about the loss. The Bears will be back on the diamond on Thursday, April 17, when they host Nevada-Las Vegas (21-27-1) at 5 p.m. at Butler-Hancock Softball Field.