Pack rips Mesa ace, pitchers for 18 hits.

PUEBLO, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - May 10, 2012) - CSU-Pueblo completed an amazing 24-hour turnaround Thursday, rebounding from a two-hit shutout the previous night to take down top-seeded Colorado Mesa, winning 16-5.

Facing Mesa ace Nolan Snell, who entered the game with a 9-1 record this season, the Pack teed off, denting him for five runs.  He was yanked after 1-1/3 innings as Mesa attempted to bloodlet the situation, but CSU-Pueblo kept on hitting, no matter which Maverick was on the mound.

In the end, the game was defined by an eight-run second inning by CSU-Pueblo, which forced Mesa into a tailspin.

CSU-Pueblo benefitted from long balls from recently-minted RMAC Player of the Year, Chase Lacomb (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.), as well as nine-hole hitter Vinnie Mattivi (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.), who had a monster day, going 2-for-5 with a home run and a triple, netting four RBI. 

On the mound, the move to start true freshman Ryan Masterson (Fr., Albany, Calif.), normally a three or four-hole in the rotation, ended up being solid gold, as he threw 5-2/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits.  He gave way to normal number-two starter, Jeremiah Struble (Jr., Divide, Colo.), who pitched 2-1/3 scoreless innings to shutdown the Mavericks while the Pack continued to pile on.

With the victory, CSU-Pueblo now lives to play another day, scheduled to take on Colorado School of Mines at 3:30 p.m. Friday in an elimination game.