PUEBLO, Colo. (February 13, 2015) ~ The Colorado State University-Pueblo baseball team rallied from down 5-0 to defeat the visiting University of Nebraska Kearney Lopers, 7-6, in the opening game of a three-game series Friday at Rawlings Field.

The ThunderWolves improve to 4-1, marking their best start to a season since the 2008 squad began the year 5-1. The loss drops the Lopers to 4-4.

CSU-Pueblo starting pitcher Zac Wittmus (Sr., Brighton, Colo.) earned his first win of the season after tossing six innings and surrendering eight hits, five earned runs and striking out four batters.

The ThunderWolves' bullpen arms of Tyler Rich (Jr., Colton, Calif.), Doug Finley (Sr., Bermuda Dunes, Calif.) and Wyndam Williams (Sr., Golden, Colo.) combined to throw three innings, giving up just two hits and no runs. Williams worked a scoreless ninth inning to secure his first save of the season.

Lopers' relief pitcher John Watson took the loss to fall to 1-1 on the season.

Offensively, the Pack pounded out 12 hits compared to 10 for the visitors. Jordan Godman (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) and Manny Menocal (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) had three hits apiece to pace CSU-Pueblo. Godman and catcher Beau Cebulski (Jr., Las Animas, Colo.) both knocked in a team-high two runs, while Dominick Bregar (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.) and Mike Wagner (Golden, Colo.) had one RBI each. Cebulski scored a team-best two runs, including the winning run in the sixth inning.

Nebraska Kearney catcher Max Ayoub had a team-high three hits, while centerfielder Brandon Landanger paced the Lopers with two RBI.

After both teams were held scoreless in the first two innings, Nebraska Kearney broke through with three runs in the third and two more in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead.

The ThunderWolves responded in a big way, plating six runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Menoncal lead off the inning with a single and moved to third on a double by Lawrence Chavez (Sr., Estancia, N.M.). Cebulski followed with a two-run single to centerfield, knocking in Menocal and Chavez. Two batters later, Godman singled through the right side to score Cebulski, pulling the Pack to within two, at 5-3. After a fly out to right field, Godman scored on a two-out base knock by Bregar. Bregar was quickly chased home as the next batter Wagner laced a triple into the right-centerfield gap, tying the game at 5-5. Wagner then came home to score on an error to give the ThunderWolves a 6-5 lead heading into the fifth inning.

Nebraska Kearney worked a run across in the top of the fifth inning to even the contest at 6-6.

In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Cebulski ripped a one-out double into the left-centerfield gap. Two batters later, with two outs in the inning, Godman looped a double into centerfield, scoring Cebulski and giving the ThunderWolves the final winning tally of 7-6.

Staked to a one-run lead Wittmus tossed a scoreless sixth inning and the trio of Rich, Finley and Williams closed out the game for the Pack.

The ThunderWolves and Lopers continue their three-game series Saturday at Rawlings Field. First pitched is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.  

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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.