ThunderWolves fall back to 7th in RMAC standings after series loss.

PUEBLO, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - Apr. 17, 2011) - CSU-Pueblo claimed a doubleheader split with Colorado School of Mines Sunday, suffering a gut-wrenching extra-inning loss in the late game, losing a series to an RMAC opponent for just the second time season.

The day opened up well for the Pack as Shannon Traxinger (Jr., Longmont, Colo.) was strong in the circle, allowing just one run on five hits as the Pack claimed a 4-1 win.  Traxinger only allowed one extra base hit and struck out two batters, and only allowed three hits over the final six innings after giving up the Orediggers' only run in the first inning.

CSU-Pueblo, however, couldn't get a run across to match the Orediggers until the fifth inning, when the first four batters of the inning reached base, and a Samantha Rios (So., Fullerton, Calif.) RBI single evened the game.

Marissa Reyes (Santa Paula, Calif.) gave the Pack its lead on a solo home run in the sixth inning, and a two-run single by Oliva Fimbres (Fr., Fontana, Calif.) in the seventh gave the Pack the insurance it needed for its 4-1 win.

The late game, however, broke for the Orediggers late, as a 3-0 ThunderWolf lead was erased in the 5th inning when Mines turned in a three-run inning, two of which came on a throwing error, which put the game on path for extra innings.  In the extra frames, each team went down 1-2-3 until Mines got baserunners in the bottom of the ninth, and a base-clearing double by Mines' Sarah Van Lingen ruined the Pack's hopes of a doubleheader sweep.

CSU-Pueblo will look to shrug off the Mines series next week when it plays its final home games of the year in a huge series against Mesa State, the current RMAC Western Division leaders that hold a two-game lead on the ThunderWolves.  In observance of Easter Sunday, games will be played on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23.