By Dalton Ries, GoThunderWolves.com Insider
PUEBLO, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - March 16, 2013) - Pack senior Justine Bosio (Sr., Santa Barbara, Calif.) became the ThunderWolves' career RBI leader Saturday after collecting nine RBI on a trio of three-run homers as the Pack swept Black Hills State 9-0 and 8-1.
No one had a bigger day than Bosio, who pitched a six-inning shutout in the run-ruled first game, allowing just four hits and recording eight strikeouts. The win moves Bosio to 6-3 on the season.
"Having a good catcher is always a big deal for me," Bosio said. "I'm a low-ball pitcher and [Brittany Styger (So., Kent, Wash.)] did a great job behind the plate to help me out. Coach [Christie Zinanti] calls an awesome game and when you hit your spots that she calls, you're going to do well almost every time."
Bosio was just as dominant from the plate, going 4-for-4 with six RBI on two three-run home runs in the first game. The monster game put Bosio as the all-time leader in RBIs for CSU-Pueblo, breaking the record previously held by Niki Toussaint-Whitaker, who played from 1998-2001.
"Coach has been talking about mentally hitting, finding the right pitch to hit and really not taking a pitch off," Bosio said. "I have been really trying to focus on doing that this season and it's starting to pay off."
Bosio continued her dominating performance in the second game of the doubleheader as she hit a three-run home run in her first at bat to add on to her freshly-claimed record. The shot, her 31st of her career, brought her within one of Toussaint's record of 32.
"It's a pretty awesome feeling," Bosio said. "Niki [Toussaint] held the record before me and she is a great player, so to pass her is pretty special."
"She did a great job today," Zinanti said of Bosio. "She has been really focused and everyone else has been taking her lead."
Kelli Henry (So., Monument, Colo.) followed Bosio's strong pitching performance with an equally strong performance of her own from the circle. Henry allowed just two hits and one earned run to go along with nine strikeouts in seven innings of work as the Pack cruised to the 8-1 win.
It wasn't all offense for the Pack in the doubleheader as they flashed the leather as well, not recording a single error and making multiple plays to steal away hits from the Yellow Jackets.
"Its great to have a defense play that well behind your pitchers," Zinanti said. "We have been really focused these past few games, not taking any pitches off and really putting in the effort on both sides of the ball."
CSU-Pueblo, which has won eight of its past nine games, will finish its series with Black Hills State Sunday.
