By: Andres Madrid
PUEBLO, Colo. - (GoThunderWolves.com - March 23, 2014) - Heading into the final day of the tripod style series for the Colorado State University-Pueblo softball team, the Pack came out strong and ready to play as they held on for a game one victory over Fort Lewis, 8-6, followed by a 2-0 loss to New Mexico Highlands in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
After a 30-minute delay to start game one due to cold temperatures and the field needing some maintenance because of snow overnight, the Pack wasted no time as the first two hitters, Jasmine Vogel (Jr., Oceanside, Calif.), and Alexa Snyder (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.) hit back-to-back doubles, scoring Vogel.
With one out, a walked batter was followed by an RBI-single from designated player Madison Wolfe (So., Oxnard, Calif.), giving the ThunderWolves an early 2-0 lead.
The big weekend continued for Lacey Chesser (Sr., Oxnard, Calif.) as she connected on her third homerun of the weekend, hitting a 3-run blast over the leftfield wall, lifting the Pack to a 5-0 lead after only the first inning.
Chesser finished a stellar weekend going 6-for-13 (.462 average), with three homeruns and a whopping 10 RBIs and one double in four games.
Things got interesting in the second inning for the Pack as starting pitcher Kelli Henry (Jr., Monument, Colo.) loaded the bases, and walked in two batters before striking out the side, holding onto a 5-2 lead.
The next inning for Wolfe was not any easier as the Skyhawks led off the third with two singles, and another walked batter once again loading the bases, with just one out. A passed ball would score just one run in the inning for a 5-3 for the Pack.
Next time out for the Pack the first three Skyhawks hitters would reach safely before a pitching change. Yvanna Bejarano (Jr., Thatcher, Ariz.) came on in relief, keeping the opposition at bay surrendering just two hits in four complete innings pitched, in picking up the 8-6 win. Bejarano notched her first win of the season.
The bats would remain silent for the ThunderWolves as they would get just three more hits in the game, all singles.
In the weekend finale, CSU-Pueblo was unable to find their stride against Highlands starting pitcher Jacquelyn Wood, who held the Pack to just seven hits, all singles, defeating the Pack 2-0.
Despite a solid performance from starting pitcher Madison Wolfe (So., Oxnard, Calif.) who gave up one-run in each of the fourth and sixth innings, both runs coming with two-outs, Wolfe would finish with seven innings pitched, surrendering six hits, giving up two runs.
CSU-Pueblo (12-13, 9-5 RMAC) will head back on the road next weekend when they travel to Grand Junction, Colo. to participate in another tripod style series with Regis (10-17, 9-8 RMAC) and host-Colorado Mesa (14-10, 13-5 RMAC).
The first game Saturday is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start versus Regis, followed by a battle with conference-leading Colorado Mesa, scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.
