Colorado State softball was left disappointed after a strong outing against No. 1 Grand Canyon, ending 9-7.
CSU entered the matchup Friday with conference placement still on the line. GCU had already locked the No. 1 spot in the Mountain West Softball Championship, but the Rams were playing to improve their standing. Despite the circumstances, the team did not approach the game with added pressure.
“I think yesterday the vibes looked different than the score,” catcher Abby Edwards said, referring to the 10-5 loss Thursday. “(Friday’s) confidence was super high. But just still learning how to close and finish games is huge.”
Reagan Wick held the Lopes to one run through the first six innings, and the score was 5-1 by the top of the seventh.
Unfortunately for the Rams, GCU decided to lock in offensively and killed the home team’s momentum with a homerun from Ellie Pond, a grand slam from Jada Cooper and then three more runs off another homer from Pond, surging the Lopes forward.
Pond stole the confidence CSU had been rebuilding up ’til that point.
Though, that confidence showed for much of the day. The Rams competed at the plate, forced pitching changes and created scoring chances by loading the bases four times. Head coach Jen Fisher pointed to those efforts as signs of growth.
“We did another good job getting through a lot of pitchers,” Fisher said. “There were some good things that happened. Those are the moments you build on.”
Energy in the dugout peaked in the sixth inning. Players were loose and feeding off each other, a mindset they said they believe will matter heading into the postseason.
“I think starting almost as a new team in conference, (we’re) just being happy we’re there,” Edwards said. “Not taking it for granted but trying to win as much as we can (will be important).”
Outfielder Lauren Stucky played a key role offensively (1R, 2H, 3RBI) and credited her approach at the plate for her performance.
“I go in with the mindset of, ‘I own you,’” Stucky said. “I don’t let them get to me. I just believe I’m the best person on the field.”
Her confidence helped produce scoring chances as CSU continued to apply pressure early. And Fisher highlighted players like Stucky and Edwards for stepping up in critical situations and capitalizing on opportunities that may not have been converted earlier in the season.
Players acknowledged a mix of small mistakes and tough situations but focused more on what can be corrected moving forward.
“I wouldn’t say anything necessarily went wrong,” Stucky said. “It’s more something we can improve on. They had good offense in that last inning.”
Fisher connected those late struggles to the team’s youth and the learning process that comes with it.
“We’re a young team,” Fisher said. “We’re starting to crave the big moments, but that lack of confidence can rear its ugly head in different ways.”
But the Rams did not go quietly.
In their final at-bat, they loaded the bases and gave themselves a chance to respond. Fisher’s message before the inning stayed simple.
“We knew we could score,” Fisher said. “I liked out fight.”
Fisher also said she emphasized to the team that “It’s never over.”
That belief continues to shape the team’s outlook. With the final home game Saturday, CSU is focused on balancing the emotion of senior day with preparation for the tournament.
“(We will) stay present,” Stucky said. “(We have to) play for each other and don’t focus too far ahead.”
Reach Jenna Jenkins at sports@collegian.com or on X @JennaCollegian
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