Bears Can't Find Rhythm Against Rams
March 7, 2006
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The University of Northern Colorado softball team couldn't seem to find a rhythm on Tuesday, as the Bears dropped both games of a doubleheader to Colorado State at Ram Field.
The Bears (6-11) came into the game winning two out of their last three, but they weren't able to get things rolling at the plate or in the field. Colorado State, who received 19 votes in the latest NFCA Top 25 poll, held Northern Colorado to a combined one run on seven hits. Junior Kelsey Dumler led the Bears at the plate, going 4-for-6 with one RBI on the day.
The first game was knotted at zero until the bottom of the third, when Colorado State got six of its total eight hits and scored six runs. The Rams did all of their damage with two outs. CSU got an insurance run in the fifth inning, making the eventual final score 7-0. Dumler and sophomore Heather Beffert each tallied hits in the game for Northern Colorado. Jessica Milligan (2-3) picked up the loss after going 2.2 innings and giving up six runs on seven hits. Shea Carpenter went 3.1 innings and gave up one run on one hit in relief.
Northern Colorado came out with a little more bite in the second game, as they put runners on first and second with one out in the top of the first. But the Bears couldn't capitalize after both Ashley Martinosky and Mackenzie Barrett struck out.
The Rams answered with four runs in the bottom of the first on four hits. Freshman Hillarie Van Otterloo started the inning but was replaced with Milligan after not recording an out. Carpenter ended up finishing the inning in the circle for the Bears by forcing three straight outs.
The Bears fought back in the top of the second after Dumler singled in junior Astrid Yestness, cutting CSU's lead to 4-1. Van Otterloo came back to pitch the rest of the game in the bottom of the second, but she could fare no better as Colorado State scored seven unanswered runs to solidify the 11-1 win. Van Otterloo (1-5) was credited with the loss after giving up six earned runs on seven hits in three innings of work.
Northern Colorado will return to action this weekend at the Shocker Invitational in Wichita, Kan. The Bears will begin with a showdown against Missouri State at 8 a.m. mountain time on Friday.
