Thursday, April 24, 1997

RAMS REMAIN IN FIRST PLACE IN WAC... At 39-10 overall and 16-4 in the conference, Colorado State remains percentage points ahead of Fresno State in the Western Athletic Conference standings. The Rams have now won 23 of their last 25 games.

RAMS 15TH IN THIS WEEK'S POLL... The Rams are ranked 15th in the April 23 USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 Poll. Colorado State has been ranked in the top 25 for six consecutive weeks.

RAMS FACE SAN JOSE STATE, #2 FRESNO STATE THIS WEEK... First place in the WAC is on the line this week as the Rams host #2 Fresno State in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Sunday. At 17-5 in the WAC, the Bulldogs are percentage points behind Colorado State in the conference standings. Saturday, San Jose State comes to Fort Collins for a 1 p.m. twin bill. Fresno State is ranked #1 in the West region while Colorado State is #2. The Fresno State games have been rescheduled from Friday due to wet weather.

RAM SOFTBALL TO BE CARRIED LIVE LOCALLY FOR FIRST TIME... This week, For the first time in school history, Colorado State softball will be broadcast locally on AM 600 KIIX. Sunday's doubleheader with Fresno State will be broadcast live from Ram Field. Colorado State Sports Network veteran Wyatt Thompson will handle play-by-play and Chris Degnan, a veteran minor league baseball radio announcer, will provide color commentary.

UNLV GAMES TO BE PLAYED WEDNESDAY... Colorado State's doubleheader with UNLV that was postponed April 11 will be made up at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at Ram Field.

RAMS WIN THREE OF FOUR AT HAWAII... Colorado State took three of four from Hawaii Friday and Saturday at Honolulu in the teams' first meeting as members of the WAC. In the opening game Friday, the Rams pounded out 10 hits to cruise to a 7-0 win. Nikki Johnson scattered four hits and struck out six to win her school-record 24th game of the year. In Friday's nightcap, Jennifer Buford and Sara Hyzer each went 3 for 4 to pace Colorado State's 13-hit attack in a 7-5 win. The Rams scored three runs with two outs in the seventh to break a 4-4 tie. Showing effects of the long trip, the Rams committed a season-high seven errors but held on to give Erin Bennett her seventh straight victory on the mound.

In game one Saturday, Buford added three more hits, including the game winner in a 2-1 victory. In the sixth inning, Buford lined a base hit to left field which Rainbow Wahine Tia Morenz overran for a three-base error. Johnson improved her record to 25-4, allowing five hits and striking out four. The Rams' bats went silent in the nightcap, totaling just five hits in a 2-1 loss. Sarah Fredstrom had a double and a triple in driving in Colorado State's only run. Stephanie Norton also added two hits. Bennett dropped to 11-6 with the loss.

RAMS BREAK SEASON WIN RECORD... With its win in game two Friday, Colorado State set a new school record for wins in a season. The 1989 squad held the old mark, going 37-14. The Rams' 16 WAC wins this year ties the school record for conference wins set during last year's 16-12 season.

JOHNSON LEADING WAC IN FOUR CATEGORIES... In addition to owning almost every record at Colorado State, senior P Nikki Johnson is leading the conference in four categories. Her 25 wins, 199 strikeouts, 26 complete games and 190.1 innings pitched are tops in the WAC. She is also second in strikeouts per seven innings (7.32), second in appearances (33), fourth in opponent batting average (.192) and fifth in hits allowed per seven innings (5.08). Johnson holds season records for wins and strikeouts at Colorado State and career records in wins (55), strikeouts (411), games pitched (87), starts (71), complete games (70), innings pitched (532.2) and saves (3).

BUFORD CONTINUES HOT STREAK... Junior 2B Jennifer Buford had her team season-high 13-game hitting streak snapped at Hawaii, but she still picked up six hits in the series. Over her last 17 games, she is 29 for 56 (.517) with 18 runs, 14 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts. Buford owns school career records of 109 runs scored and 47 stolen bases and she is third all time with a .340 batting average in just under three seasons at Colorado State. She has moved into the team lead this season with a .397 batting average - sixth in the conference.

FRESTROM ADDS TWO MORE RECORDS TO COLLECTION... Junior SS Sarah Fredstrom added two more single-season records to her already crowded collection this past weekend. She set a new record for doubles in a season with 16, topping her old record set last year. She also tied the school record for triples in a season with five, tying her with Melanie Scheld (1982), Gayle Groninger (1982) and Gina Autobee (1981) on the school charts. Fredstrom also owns season records for home runs (11-1996), slugging percentage (.627-1996), and RBI (55-1997). The Omaha, Neb., native owns career records in home runs (21), doubles (39), triples (11), slugging percentage (.617), and RBI (135).

RAMS AMONG THE NATIONAL LEADERS... Nikki Johnson ranks sixth in the country in wins and Sarah Fredstrom is 10th in the NCAA in RBI in leading the Rams to top-10 marks in three team categories. Colorado State is 11th in the country in team batting average, 10th in runs scored, and ninth in winning percentage. Colorado State leads the WAC in runs per game (6.35), is second in batting average (.337) and fourth in team ERA (2.09).

RAMS VS. THE TOP 25... Colorado State is 5-4 against teams ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll this season. The Rams are 1-1 vs. #15 Missouri, 2-0 vs. #12 Arizona State and 2-0 vs. #25 San Diego State. Three of Colorado State's losses have come to the top two teams in the nation in #2 Fresno State (twice) and #1 Arizona.