Back-to-back wins for the books.
Colorado State softball capitalized on early momentum and consistent energy to sweep San José State in a conference doubleheader, winning both games 5-2 Wednesday.
The Rams set the tone with their approach entering Mountain West play.
“Obviously, we came into the conference with a huge chip on our shoulder,” catcher Bradie Poteet-Herrera said. “We came in with something to prove, and we’re just working like one game at a time. Or as coach says it, ‘one pitch at a time.’”
That mindset showed in the second game. After allowing a run in the first inning, CSU answered with three runs in the bottom half to take control.
Lauren Stucky singled and Jailey Wilson doubled to set the table before Autumn Rutherford delivered a 2-RBI triple to left center.
“I think we could sense that their energy got brought down a little bit after that,” Poteet-Herrera said. “Stealing that momentum … and then just kind of taking it and running with it.”
The quick response also helped settle the pitching staff, too.
“Our pitchers keep telling us that they really do prefer to pitch with the lead,” head coach Jen Fisher said. “I thought Giselle (Bentley) was really in attack mode, (saying) ‘I don’t have to be ultra careful; I can throw my pitches with a lot of confidence.’”
CSU’s pitchers carried that confidence through both games, limiting SJSU’s offense and forcing them into small-ball situations.
“For Reagan (Wick) and Giselle, they were really good games,” Fisher said. “I think, you know, a better part of their hits were on bunts … they came out, they attacked the zone and made their pitches and really let their defense work.”
The defense backed that effort, particularly in the middle infield, and that gave the pitchers confidence.
From behind the plate, the focus remained on trust and execution.
“Giselle was on and didn’t need much help from me,” Poteet-Herrera said. “Doing what I can, focusing on runners, trusting my defense to do their thing … I trust Giselle entirely.”
Offensively, CSU showed depth across the lineup, with multiple players contributing in key moments.
Abby Edwards reached on a ground-rule double, and Poteet-Herrera drove in two runs with a double to right center, pushing the lead to five.
“It shows that throughout the entire lineup, everybody has a job, and everybody knows how to execute,” Rutherford said. “Regardless of where we are, everyone can come out and show that.”
The Rams also made progress in situational hitting, an area of emphasis from the coaching staff.
“We’ve been leaving a lot of people on base,” Fisher said. “And I don’t hate the statistic, but we finally got to the point where we’ve got to have some personal responsibility here and just hit people in.”
That adjustment helped CSU capitalize on scoring chances in both games.
Between innings and between games, the focus stayed on maintaining energy, even during slower stretches.
“On defense, we’re not letting (SJSU) get that momentum,” Rutherford said. “And then when we got back out onto bat, it’s just trying to do whatever we could to generate runs and not letting them deter us.”
In the break between games, the approach remained simple.
“We try to keep our energy through both,” Rutherford said. “Not let it kind of drop and die down, and then you work on what you need to in between.”
Coach Fisher also talked about continued growth in the approach at the plate.
“We’re sticking to the plan,” Fisher said. “(The team) is constantly growing and interested week-to-week. They’re interested in learning and picking the brains of our two youngest coaches.”
Up next, CSU is hitting the road to face the Fresno State on April 11 and 12 in Fresno, California.
Reach Jenna Jenkins at sports@collegian.com or on X @JennaCollegian
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