LAS VEGAS, N.M. (GoThunderWolves.com – Mar. 8, 2014) – The visiting Colorado State University-Pueblo baseball team won its third straight game, 7-4 at New Mexico Highlands University before dropping the second game of a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader, 11-1, Saturday here at the Cowboys' Brandt Field.
The ThunderWolves, who lead the 4-game series 2-1 heading into Sunday's 9-inning weekend finale, slated for noon, are now 7-8 overall and 3-2 in RMAC play while the Cowboys moved to 6-10 and to 3-3 in the loop with the twin-bill split. CSU-Pueblo still leads the RMAC Plains Division standings by a half-game over both the Cowboys and idle Metro State (2-2 RMAC), which had a RMAC doubleheader at Adams State moved to Sunday because of snow.
In Saturday's first game, the Pack jumped out to a 7-1 lead through 4 ½ of the seven innings as Jesse Bristow (Jr., Heber, Utah) picked up the win on the mound.
The Pack did their damage in three different innings plating two on a Mike Wagner (Jr., Golden, Colo.) single in the top of the second before the Cowboys got one run back in the bottom of the third. However, Dominick Bregar (So., Pueblo, Colo.) hit a 2-run single in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 4-1 before a 3-run fifth featuring RBI singles from Eddie Williams (Sr., Castle Rock, Colo.), Cameron Buckles (Sr., Parker, Colo.) and Austin Mascorro (Jr., Oxnard, Calif.) gave Bristow plenty of breathing room.
Jarred Middleton did slice the Pack lead in half with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the fifth before Thomas Bevington (Jr., Hermiston, Ore.) earned a 2-inning save as he retired the Cowboys' final six batters in order. The save was the first of his Pack career.
The Pack had nine hits from seven different men, including two from Wagner, who went 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Evan Kenebrew (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) also went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Bristow spread out 10 hits and a pair of walks and improved to 2-1 on the season while striking out four.
NMHU's Ben Ruff, now 0-3, suffered the loss after surrendering seven runs, six of which were earned, and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.
In the second game, the Pack scored the initial run in the top of the first on a Lonny Schoon (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) sacrifice fly before the Cowboys tied the game in the bottom of the third.
They then scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead while chasing starter Victor Soto (Jr., Whittier, Calif.) from the mound before exploding for four hits and six runs in the fifth to build a 10-1 lead.
The Pack had five hits in the game while the Cowboys registered 10 for the second straight game. Schoon had a double in his lone official at bat.
Soto took the loss while NMHU's Cody Brown went all seven innings for the home team.
