Tuesday, April 29, 1997

FORT COLLINS-- The Rams' softball team (No. 15) swept No. 2 Fresno State yseterday in Western Athletic Conference action at Ram Field, 1-0 and 6-3. The wins leave Colorado State alone in first place in the WAC at 20-4 as the Rams improve to 43-10 overall. The Bulldogs (44-9, 19-7 in the WAC) drop to second place, two games behind the Rams.

Kelley Spence hit a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning to score Sarah Fredstrom, who had doubled, and give the Rams their first win over Fresno State since April 22, 1995 - a span of eight games.

Nikki Johnson shut out the Bulldogs on five hits, walking one and striking out six, to improve to 27-4 on the season. Amanda Scott suffered just her second loss of the season for Fresno State in dropping to 14-2.

Fresno State got on the board in the top of the first when Scott doubled in Robyn Yorke, who had reached on an error. Fredstrom singled in Buford to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. The Bulldogs added another unearned run in the fourth when Scott scored on a Ram error to make it 2-1.

Colorado State then exploded for five runs in its half of the fourth with the big blows coming on a two-RBI single and a throwing error by Fresno State third baseman Trina Puckett that brought two more runs home. Colorado State pounded 12 hits off Bulldog starter Lindsay Parker.

Erin Bennett won for the ninth time in her last 10 starts, allowing one earned run on six hits and striking out five. Bennett improved her record to 13-6 on the season while Parker dropped to 12-3 for Fresno State.

Fredstrom went 3 for 4 in the nightcap and has set a new school record for hits in a season with 71. She passes current Ram assistant coach Teri Klement who had 68 hits in 1989. Buford went 2 for 4 with two RBI and stole her school record 27th base of the year. Poudre High School graduate Bernadette Lamb also added two hits.

Colorado State had beaten Fresno State just once in 17 prior meetings before yesterday's sweep. The Rams have now won four straight and 27 of their last 29 games.

Colorado State returns to WAC action Wednesday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader versus Nevada-Las Vegas at Ram Field.