PUEBLO, Colo. (February 15, 2015) ~ The Colorado State University-Pueblo baseball team closed out its three-game series versus the University of Nebraska Kearney with a 4-2 victory Sunday at Rawlings Field.

The win gives the ThunderWolves victories in each of their first two series of the season. The Pack improve to 5-2 on the year, while the Lopers drop to 5-5.

Despite being outhit, 6-4, CSU-Pueblo capitalized on four Nebraska Kearney errors to push across a pair of unearned runs.

Victor Soto (Sr., Benbrook, Texas) recorded his second straight strong start of the season, tossing six innings, allowing two runs and five hits, walking two and striking out five batters. The senior earned the win to improve to 1-0 on the young season.

Daniel Tessone (Jr., La Habra, Calif.) came in the seventh inning in relief of Soto and pitched two strong innings. Tessone allowed just one hit and struck out one batter. Wyndam Williams (Sr., Golden, Colo.) tossed a one-two-three ninth inning to earn his second save of the series.

Ross Mortensen suffered the loss for Nebraska Kearney. The right hander gave up three hits, four runs (two earned), two walks and struck out five batters.

Four different ThunderWolves tallied a hit each.  Mike Wagner (Golden, Colo.) had the big blow, a two-run home run in the first inning. Austin Mascorro (Sr., Oxnard, Calif.), Manny Menocal (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) and Daniel Vigil (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) also added a hit each, with Vigil also tallying a RBI.

For the Lopers, Danny Droll had a game-high two hits, while Max Ayoub and Kyle Honeycutt added a hit and RBI apiece.

Nebraska Kearney got to Soto early, plating a pair of two-out runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.

The Pack answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the first frame. With two outs, Dominick Bregar (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.) worked a walk. The next batter, Wagner, belted a no doubt about it home run over the left field wall, knotting the game at 2-2.

 n the bottom of the second inning, CSU-Pueblo worked across two more runs. Menocal led off the inning with a double to right center field. Menocal scored on the next play when Lopers pitcher Mortensen committed a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Lawrence Chavez (Sr., Estancia, N.M.). After stealing third base, Chavez came home to score after Vigil reached first base on an error with one out, giving the ThunderWolves a 4-2 lead.

After giving up the two runs in the first inning, Soto settled in and shut down the Nebraska Kearney offense through the sixth inning. The senior allowed just two more hits, before handing the ball over to the Pack bullpen at the top of the seventh inning.

Tessone and Williams made the 4-2 hold up as CSU-Pueblo earned the 4-2 victory.

The ThunderWolves remain at home next weekend, hosting the University of Sioux Falls in a three-game series. The first game is set for 1:00 p.m. on Friday.

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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.