Colorado State softball showed flashes of competitiveness early in Friday’s game, but a pair of explosive innings from Boise State proved too much to overcome in a 13–2 loss.
The Broncos struck first in the opening inning, as Quinn Southerland scored to give BSU an early 1–0 lead. In the bottom half, CSU’s Lauren Stucky delivered a hard-hit single on her first hit, but the Rams were unable to bring her around to score.
BSU added another run in the second inning to go up 2-0 before CSU responded with its most productive stretch of the game.
After Abby Edwards reached first base, Allyson Moody walked to put two runners on. A groundout advanced both into scoring position, and Kaylynn English came through with a single to cut the deficit in half.
Moments later, Moody capitalized on an opportunity and stole home, tying the game at 2-2.
Despite the momentum shift, BSU quickly regained control in the third inning. Although CSU head coach Jen Fisher successfully challenged a third-base call to record an out, the Broncos responded and took advantage of several defensive miscues.
Hollie Farmer delivered a two-RBI single to spark the rally, and a fielding error allowed Boise State to extend its lead further, creating separation that CSU could not overcome in the form of six runs to zero.
The Rams had opportunities to respond, particularly in the fourth inning.
Madi Eslinger doubled to deep left field to ignite a rally, and CSU loaded the bases with one out. However, the Broncos escaped the jam with back-to-back outs, preserving their lead and halting CSU’s best chance to close the gap.
Offensively, CSU struggled to capitalize in key moments, finishing just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Players pointed out a need for a simpler, more composed approach moving forward.
“I think we just need to sort of simplify the situation in our heads,” Moody said. “Obviously, it’s a big moment, but I’ve done the work, I have the tools and we can execute in those situations. It’s just slowing the game down and taking it one pitch at a time.”
Then BSU put the game out of reach in the sixth inning.
With the bases loaded and one out, Farmer delivered again with a two-RBI double to extend the lead. Chloe Hughes followed with a two-RBI single, and the Broncos continued to apply pressure, eventually stretching the score to 13–2 on a 5-0 inning.
CSU also pointed to discipline at the plate as a key difference in the game. BSU’s pitchers kept hitters off balance by effectively mixing speeds.
“They changed speeds a lot, and that’s a difficult thing to hit against,” English said. “We were swinging out of our zone. We just need to be aggressive at our pitch and stay disciplined to our plan. You know we practiced it all week, so it’s no excuse that we couldn’t hit it. And I know we’re going to see (Loula-Rae McNamara) the rest of this weekend, so we’re better prepared.”
According to English, coach Fisher delivered a blunt message to her team after the third inning, emphasizing the need to respond.
“She said we kind of got punched in the mouth, and we need to punch back,” English said. “That they were more disciplined than us at the plate, and she was right.”
Defensively, while the score reflected struggles, CSU saw areas for growth.
“I think it gave us a lot to work on,” Moody said. “It (wasn’t) our best, but it gives us a good starting point to really dive into things in practice.”
Despite the lopsided final score, the Rams remain focused on adjustments, particularly in high-pressure at-bats and maintaining discipline at the plate. With more games remaining in the series, CSU will look to turn those lessons into a stronger performance.
The Rams will host BSU again Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m.
Reach Jenna Jenkins at sports@collegian.com or on X at JennaCollegian
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