PUEBLO, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - Feb. 28, 2014)- The first two weeks of the 2014 campaign for CSU-Pueblo has been anything but easy. Having last played in the Woodward West Texas Invite facing three top-25 teams in the nation as well as real good teams from the Lone Star Conference at the tournament, the Pack was eager to open conference play. Having to cancel their conference road opening series last week at Black Hills State due to poor weather, the ThunderWolves welcomed Colorado Christian, sporting a 3-1 record in conference play to Rawling Field Friday opening a four-game series, dropping the first game 6-3, followed with a one-hit shutout 4-0 victory.
The first game the ThunderWolves struck in their first at bat, when lead-off hitter Alexa Snyder (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) singled, followed by another single through the left side of the infield from Jasmine Vogel (Jr., Oceanside, Calif.), was then followed by yet another single down the left field line for Dora Hernandez (So., Benton City, Wash.), scoring Snyder from second. Two outs later starting pitcher for the Cougars, Mariah Bledsoe walked Lacey Chesser (Sr., Oxnard, Calif.) to loaded the bases. Another four-pitch walk to Jordan Rodriguez (Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) walked in another run for a 2-0 lead.
The lead was quickly erased in the top of the third inning when the Cougars who had four singles along with a hit batter and an error on the pitcher, to explode to a 5-3 lead. A late game insurance run for the Cougars was all they needed for the win.
The second game was dominated by CSU-Pueblo starting pitcher Madison Wolfe (So., Oxnard, Calif.) who allowed just one hit, which did not come until the seventh inning, striking out four in making quick work of the Cougars who had little answers for the Pack hurler.
Another first inning run for the Pack came as a result of two wild pitches, allowing Vogel, who reached on a single to the shortstop earlier in the inning, to score.
Later in the game Wolfe was able to help her own cause when she doubled to straight away centerfield. A pinch-runner was then entered to run for Wolfe, who then scored on a Sidney Bailey (Pueblo, Colo.) single to rightfield. Two back-to-back singles from lead-off hitter Snyder and No. 2 hitter Vogel gave the Pack a 3-0 lead heading into the sixth inning.
A leadoff homerun to leftfield in the bottom of the sixth inning for Hernandez, her third of the season, was all the support Wolfe would need as she would allow the lone hit to come with two-outs in the seventh inning, before completing the one hit shutout victory, 4-0.
The same two teams will play again tomorrow to wrap up the four-game series, the first game is scheduled for an 11 am start.
