Game 1: CSU-Pueblo 2, Mesa State 1
Game 2: Mesa State 7, CSU-Pueblo 4

Behind a dominant complete game performance by closer-turned-starter, Cole Stephens (Sr., Amarillo, Tex.), CSU-Pueblo beat archrival Mesa State 2-1 before falling 7-4 in the nightcap, getting a split with the Mavericks.

Stephens, getting his first start after pitching in seven innings this season as the Pack's closer with mixed results, proved that he had some of the best stuff on the ThunderWolf roster, holding Mesa State to seven hits in a complete game, striking out seven.  Stephens kept the ball down, only allowing six flyball outs and no extra base hits while issuing just two walks, while going past the 140-pitch mark.

Stephens met his match in Mesa State starter, Scott Bachman, who followed up a shutout in his previous meeting with the Pack with another strong day, going 7-2/3 innings.  But the Pack hit it where they weren't, logging 10 singles and manufacturing enough runs to win, thanks to timely RBIs by top-of-the-order hitters, Mark Sayas (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.) and Mike Sanchez (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.), in a two-run third inning. 

Stephens got out of a jam in the 8th, shrugging off a situation that saw Mesa State have two runners on with one out, getting two ground ball outs to keep the slim one-run lead in tact.  He retired the Mavericks with a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th.

In the nightcap, CSU-Pueblo had trouble keeping up with the Mavericks, trailing 7-1 going into the bottom of the 7th.  But the ThunderWolves started a rally, sending a string of pinch-hitters to the plate and sending across three runs on three hits in the inning.  But the rally ran out of gas as the tying run stood at the plate.

CSU-Pueblo will finish its four-game set with Mesa State Sunday at 12 p.m. with another doubleheader.