PUEBLO, Colo. (February 6, 2015) ~ The Colorado State University-Pueblo baseball team opened the 2015 season on a high note, scoring on an error in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Montana State University Billings, 11-10, Friday at Rawlings Field.

With the score tied at 10 heading into the last half of the ninth, Jordan Godman (OF, Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) started the inning with an infield single. Godman advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Austin Mascorro (Oxnard, Calif.) and moved to third on a fielder's choice by Mike Wagner (Golden, Colo.). The next batter, Manny Menocal (INF, Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.), bounced a one-out grounder to the left side, but Yellow Jackets' third baseman Colter Sternhagen didn't field the ball cleanly as Godman raced home with the winning run.

The 2015 season opener for both teams, CSU-Pueblo moves to 1-0, while MSU Billings drops to 0-1.

Doug Finley (RHP, Sr., Bermuda Dunes, Calif.) worked a perfect top of the ninth inning, recording two strikeouts, to earn the victory. Lee Busto took the loss for MSU Billings.

ThunderWolves' starter Zac Wittmus (RHP, Brighton, Colo.) tossed 4.2 innings, giving up six hits, two earned runs, striking out six and walking just one batter. In total, CSU-Pueblo used eight pitchers.

The Yellow Jackets outhit the Pack, 13-8, but ThunderWolves' hitters worked 11 walks, while their pitching staff surrendered just four base-on-balls.

Godman, Menocal and Dominick Bregar (Pueblo, Colo.) each recorded two hits to pace the Pack. Bregar also walked twice and launched his first home run of the season. Bregar, Mascorro, Lawrence Chavez (OF, Sr., Estancia, N.M.) and Shane Richins (INF, Sr., Heber, Utah) each drove in two runs to lead the home team.

The Yellow Jackets jumped on the scoreboard first, tallying a pair of runs in the top-half of the first inning on a double by Sternhagen.

CSU-Pueblo got its offense going in the bottom of the second, scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead. Richins delivered the big blow in the inning, lacing a double down the left-field line to score Chris Ramsey (OF, Sr., Westminster, Colo.) and Beau Cebulski (C, Jr., Las Animas, Colo.).

After scoreless innings in the third and fourth, MSU Billings tallied a two-spot in the fifth to regain the lead, 4-3.

In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Mascorro was hit by a pitch to open the inning and Bregar followed with a single to chase Yellow Jackets' starting pitcher Brady Muller. After a strikeout, Menocal singled to center to score Mascorro. Later in the inning Chavez worked a walk to drive in the fifth run of the game for the Pack.

MSU Billings tied the game at five in the top of the sixth, only to see the ThunderWolves regain the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. With one out in the frame, Bregar belted a deep homerun to straight away centerfield to give CSU-Pueblo a 7-5 lead.  

The back-and-forth contest continued as the Yellow Jackets tallied a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning to even the score at 7-7.

The ThunderWolves' offense responded once again, plating three runs in the bottom of the seventh to go on top, 10-7. Mascorro had the key hit in the inning, dropping a two-run single into left center field.

No lead was safe in the contest as MSU Billings once again tied the score, notching three runs in the eighth inning to even the contest at 10-10.

Finley's 1-2-3 ninth inning set up the winning run in the bottom of the frame as the Pack notched the 11-10 victory.

The ThunderWolves and Yellow Jackets resume their four-game series Saturday with a double-header beginning at 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.