PUEBLO, Colo. (April 11, 2015) ~ The No. 8/13 Colorado State University-Pueblo baseball team split a doubleheader against Colorado School of Mines Saturday at Rawlings Field. The ThunderWolves fell in game one, 7-5, before rallying from four runs down in the second game to win, 6-5.

The 1-1 afternoon moves the Pack's record to 28-7 overall and 20-5 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contests. Colorado Mines' record jumps to 11-19 on the season, including a 6-17 mark in league games.

In game one, Colorado Mines tallied seven runs on seven hits, while CSU-Pueblo had five runs on 10 hits. Both teams struggled in the field as the Orediggers committed two errors and the Pack recorded five. The ThunderWolves left eight men on base, while the visitors stranded seven.

Austyn Garcia (Fr., Highlands Ranch, Colo.) suffered the loss out of the bullpen for CSU-Pueblo to drop to 1-1 on the season. Colorado Mines' starter Christian Rooney went the distance to pick up his fourth win of the year.

Mike Wagner (Sr., Golden, Colo.) and Daniel Vigil (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) both went 2-for-2 from the plate for the ThunderWolves with Vigil also notching a RBI. Beau Cebulski (Jr., Las Animas, Colo.) tallied two runs to lead the Pack.

The Orediggers got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly out by Nate Olinger, giving the visitors an early 1-0 advantage.

After Colorado Mines tallied an unearned run in the top of the second frame, CSU-Pueblo registered its first run of the contest in its half of the second inning. With two outs and nobody on base, Cebulski doubled into the right-center field gap. The No. 9 hitter Vigil followed with a RBI single to center field, scoring Cebulski to cut the deficit to one, at 2-1, after two innings of play.

The ThunderWolves tied the game with a run in the bottom of the third inning. Dominick Bregar (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.) and Wagner opened the frame with back-to-back singles to put runners at second and third base with no one out. The next batter, Manny Menocal (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.), drove in Bregar with a sacrifice fly out to even the score at two apiece.

After another scoreless inning in the top of the fourth by Pack starter Kolby Rimer (Sr., St. George, Utah), CSU-Pueblo took the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Jordan Godman (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) drove in Lawrence Chavez (Sr., Estancia, N.M.) with the go-ahead run on a RBI single to left field. A RBI ground out by Bregar and an unearned run extended the Pack lead to 5-2 after four innings.

The Orediggers tied the game with three runs on four hits in the top of the fifth inning. The damage could have been greater, but relief pitcher Tyler Rich (Jr., Colton, Calif.) induced an inning-ending  6-4-3 double play with the go-ahead run at third base.

Colorado Mines broke the tie with the eventual winning runs in the top of the sixth. The Orediggers scored two unearned runs in the frame to move in front, 7-5.

The Pack put the tying runs on base in their last at-bat, but weren't able to push them across as the visitors held on for the game one victory.  

In game two, CSU-Pueblo notched six runs on eight hits, committed one error and left six runners on base. The Orediggers matched the Pack with eight hits, scored five times and committed two errors.

ThunderWolves' starter Victor Soto (Sr., Benbrook, Texas) battled through five innings to earn the win and improve to 6-1 on the season. The right hander went five innings, gave up four runs (one earned) on eight hits, walked four and struck out seven. Wyndam Williams (Sr., Golden, Colo.) gave up a run in the ninth, but still managed to pick up his seventh save of the season.

Colorado Mines starter Olinger suffered the loss to drop to 3-4 on the year.

Seven different players tallied at least one hit for CSU-Pueblo, including Bregar who had a team-best two base knocks. Cebulski matched his game one total with two runs. Four different players tallied a RBI for the home team.

The Orediggers jumped on Soto early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. The Pack starter limited the damage to just the three runs thanks to an inning-ending strikeout, stranding runners at second and third.

The score remained 3-0 until the top of the fifth inning. Colorado Mines recorded a two-out base knock by Evan Brown to drive in a run and extend the lead to 4-0.

After being held down for the first four innings by Olinger, the ThunderWolves finally broke through against the left hander in the home half of the fifth inning. A hit batter and two singles loaded the bases with one out for Bregar. The Pack first baseman lined a single to left field which then scooted through the legs of left fielder Connor Lambert. Lambert's miscue allowed all three runners to score and for Bregar to advance all the way to third base. Wagner followed with a double to right field to score Bregar and tie the game at 4-4. CSU-Pueblo wasn't done as the next batter, Menocal, ripped a single to center field to drive in Wagner with the go-ahead run.

The Pack tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly out by Vigil, giving the home team a 6-4 advantage.

Colorado Mines made it interesting in its last at-bat. The Orediggers worked one run across, but that was it as Williams preserved the victory for CSU-Pueblo.

The ThunderWolves and Orediggers conclude their four-game series Sunday with a single game beginning at noon.

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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.