PUEBLO, Colo. (February 20, 2015) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo baseball team broke open a tight contest with a 10-run seventh inning en route to a 14-6 victory over the University of Sioux Falls Friday at Rawlings Field.

The win gives the ThunderWolves their first series sweep since April 17-19, 2014 when they took four games from MSU Denver. The Pack improve to 8-2 on the season, marking their best start in over 10 years. The loss drops the Cougars to 0-6.

CSU-Pueblo's Victor Soto (Sr., Benbrook, Texas) recorded his third consecutive solid start. Soto's strong outing earned him his second win of the season. The senior gave up no runs and just three hits in six innings of work.

Eric Brothers suffered the loss for Sioux Falls to fall to 0-2 on the year.

The ThunderWolves pounded out 14 hits on the afternoon, while Sioux Falls recorded nine base knocks. Sioux Falls committed three errors and left seven runners on base, while the Pack tallied two errors and left six men aboard.

A trio of players, Jordan Godman (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.), Manny Menocal (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) and Dominick Bregar (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.), recorded three hits apiece to pace the Pack. Menocal went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs and four runs scored. Joining Menocal in the two-RBI club were Bregar, Beau Cebulski (Jr., Las Animas, Colo.) and Lawrence Chavez (Sr., Estancia, N.M.).

The Pack jumped out to an early lead after scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Mike Wagner (Sr., Golden, Colo.) reached on an error to lead off the frame and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Menocal singled up the middle to score Wagner and advanced to second base on the throw. Chavez chased Menocal home with a hustle double to centerfield, giving CSU-Pueblo a 2-0 advantage.

Menocal and Chavez delivered the offense once again for the ThunderWolves in the fourth inning. With one out, Menocal lined a single up the middle. Chavez followed with a triple to the right-centerfield gap to score Menocal and extend the CSU-Pueblo lead to 3-0.

The ThunderWolves added to their lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Menocal was the catalyst once again, starting the frame with a double down the leftfield line. Menocal came around to score the Pack's fourth run on a one-out single by Cebulski.

Sioux Falls cut into the CSU-Pueblo lead with three runs on five hits in the top of the seventh inning. The Cougars threatened for more runs, but Pack reliever Ricky Casler (Sr., Vail, Ariz.) struck out Rob Johnson to end the inning, stranding runners at second and third.

The ThunderWolves broke the game open with 10 runs in their half of the seventh inning. Austin Mascorro (Sr., Oxnard, Calif.) and Godman each registered RBI singles, while Bregar added a two-run double in the inning. The Pack added three runs via bases loaded walks, one run on a hit by pitch with the bases full and the final run on a throwing error.

Sioux Falls tallied three unearned runs in the top of the ninth, making the final score 14-6 in favor of CSU-Pueblo.

With nonconference play now complete, the ThunderWolves will open Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action next weekend. CSU-Pueblo hosts Regis University in a four-game set, beginning Feb. 27 at 1:00 p.m.

- 30 -

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