Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
20-24, 8-11
Nevada
33-14, 14-5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 0 |
| Colorado State | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
Series Against Nevada Ends in Third Loss
4/19/2026 3:48:00 PM | Softball
Rams unable to sustain early spark in third loss to the Wolf Pack
Forgive the pun, but Colorado State came out swinging.
The home run from Bradie Poteet-Herrera in the first inning was an immediate reaction to how the series left off (23-7) on Saturday against Nevada. Her homer wasn't enough though, with the series eventually ending 3-0 after a 11-3 Nevada performance. But the hit had proved something: the Rams continue to look at every game as a new opportunity.
"For three games in a row, you end up seeing the same pitcher a lot," Poteet-Herrera said. "So you never know what she's going to throw you. She could throw you the same thing you saw last at bat, or she could completely switch your mindset. So I think focusing on each pitch trying not to compare it too much to the other games is super important."
While that approach showed early, the Wolf Pack quickly adjusted by way of the circle.
After Talia Tretton exited, Hailey McClean stepped in and shut down the Rams' offense, holding them scoreless for the remainder of the game. At the same time, defensive inconsistencies — including the absence of Kaylynn English at shortstop — created openings the Wolf Pack took advantage of, as balls fell between the bases.
And they know how to bring the pressure. With Madison Clark — the conference leader in stolen bases with 30 — forcing action on the basepaths, the Rams were pushed into difficult defensive decisions.
"You kind of pick and choose what you're going to cover," coach Jen Fisher said. "And with that Maddie Clark, she has like 30 stolen bases. And we felt like we were close several times. We just didn't handle the ball at the base. So it was like Abby was throwing them out in a sense. But it was a little bit either too tough to handle, or we just weren't quite handling it as well as we should. So we definitely want to work on that consistency."
It's not to say Jac Smith, who filled in, didn't rise to the occasion in the ways she could, but learning on the fly is uncomfortable for anyone. Kyra Smith also found herself adjusting in an unfamiliar role at second base, highlighting the kind of adaptability required late in the season.
For the Rams, the challenge now is not just execution, but cohesion.
"We're really talking a lot about is your attitude worth catching?" Fisher said. "So I think what we've been missing is that sort of stringing things together and kind of realizing how everything's linked. Like, a great defensive play needs to add momentum to your offense. And a great hit needs to add momentum to your pitching. And a great pitching performance or getting somebody out needs to feed your defense. We talked about being more of like patient zero."
Despite a homer in the first inning, the "patient zero" effect never fully materialized.
And Nevada's response throughout reflected why it sits near the top of the conference, maintaining steady confidence on both sides of the inning. But for CSU, the focus remained internal rather than comparative.
"No one was thinking of the game like, oh we're this ranking or this ranking at the end of the day," Lauren Stucky said. "We're just two different teams playing against each other, so that's how we treated it. It wasn't like one's better than the other, one's less than the other. We just played it like we were the same."
As the Rams approach the final stretch of the season, matchups like Nevada offer both a reality check and an opportunity.
There were pieces missing and moments that slipped away, but the takeaway is still there: CSU can compete — when everything connects.
With Grand Canyon and Nevada separating themselves at the top of the conference and the rest of the field battling for position, every adjustment matters.
"If we're playing our very, very best, we can play with Nevada," Fisher said. "GCU is our last weekend, but we got to go, you know? And so we'd really like to show like, that we can get to that tournament and that we can show up and be productive. And it's a really great like experience. And if we're firing on all cylinders by that time, that's what we need to do."
The result didn't reflect the start the Rams hoped to build on. But with the postseason within reach, the focus shifts forward toward what is worth changing in the short weeks before final tournament decisions and what is able to be built upon.
To see what will become contagious as the season reaches the home stretch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McLean, Hailey (8-4)
L: Wick, Reagan (11-10)
Batting:
HR: Engelbrecht, Haylee 1 ; Wetteland, Katelyn 1
RBI: Clark, Madison 1 ; Engelbrecht, Haylee 3 ; O'Gorman, Lexi 2 ; Di Genova, Hannah 1 ; Braukus, Anna 2 ; Wetteland, Katelyn 2
SH: Clark, Madison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Clark, Madison 2 ; Engelbrecht, Haylee 2 ; O'Gorman, Lexi 1 ; Clark, Bailie 1 ; Di Genova, Hannah 1 ; Haith, Rylie 1 ; Wetteland, Katelyn 2 ; Leetch, Matlyn 1
SB: Clark, Madison 1 ; O'Gorman, Lexi 1 ; Clark, Bailie 2 ; Haith, Rylie 1
CS: Haith, Rylie 1
Batting:
2B: Stucky, Lauren 2 ; Eslinger, Madi 1 ; Smith, Kyra 1 ; Wilson, Jailey 1
HR: Poteet-Herrera, Bradie 1
RBI: Eslinger, Madi 1 ; Poteet-Herrera, Bradie 2
SH: Smith, Jac 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stucky, Lauren 1 ; Wilson, Jailey 1 ; Poteet-Herrera, Bradie 1
SB: Stucky, Lauren 1
