After winning a tough weekend series in Nevada, the Rams returned home to tangle with the University of Northern Colorado Bears. The last time these two teams met was nearly a month ago in Greeley. The Rams snuck out of that game with an extra inning victory in eight total innings.

Since the Rams didn’t play their best ball the last time out against UNC, they looked to get back to their regular form at home on Tuesday. Freshman Taylor Gilmore took the pitcher’s circle for the Rams looking to keep the Bears in check.

Gilmore last appeared in the pitcher’s circle against UNLV and threw a solid game for the Rams. She looked to build on her last performance and come away with the victory.

When both teams went scoreless in the first inning, it felt as if it was going to be a tough match, but the Rams had other ideas. In the second inning, the Rams exploded for five runs. The entire Rams lineup strung together hit after hit to lead 5-0 after just two innings.

UNC got on the board in the third inning, scoring two runs to bring themselves back into the game. The Rams continued to apply pressure in the fourth inning with a three-run home run off the bat of sophomore Tara Shadowen, making the lead 8-2.

Shadowen displayed some great hitting, driving in four runs off of three hits, one of those being a home run.

“My first at bat, the pitcher was throwing everything high, and in my second at bat I tried to stay in my zone and get a good pitch to hit,” Shadowen said. “Throughout my other at bats, I just waited for her to give me a good pitch.”

In the fifth inning, the Rams added another run to make the score 9-2, but left the bases loaded to end the inning. After allowing the Bears to push a run across in the top of the sixth, the Rams manufactured two runs of their own to end the game early due to run rule: 11-3.

The Rams were victorious due to great hitting and stellar pitching. Gilmore kept the Bears off balance all game long and worked her way through the lineup.

“I was excited to start and I came into the game really excited,” Gilmore said. “I didn’t have my best stuff today, but my teammates made some really good plays behind me.”

This victory makes the Rams overall record 34-7 on the year and brings them three games closer to tying the best record in CSU softball history at 37-15. The Rams have seven games left on the year to tie and possibly break the record.

The Rams will take the field on Friday at 4 p.m. on Ram Field against San Diego State. This is game one of a three game series that extends over Saturday and Sunday.

Junior Guerrero can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @juniorg45.