PUEBLO, Colo. (February  28, 2016) – Clutch hitting sank Colorado State University-Pueblo baseball Sunday as they dropped their series finale against Lubbock Christian University, 4-3. With the loss the Pack (6-5) was forced to settle for a series split with the No.11 ranked Chapparals (11-3), who scored all four of their runs with two outs.

They say football is a game of inches. The Pack proved that baseball certainly is too on Sunday. Cameron Weinberg (Jr., San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and the Pack held a 2-1 lead with two outs and a runner on in the top of the sixth inning. Weinberg narrowly missed his eighth strikeout of the game against Brent Stewart to get out of the inning with a pitch that couldn't quite hit the high inside corner of the strike zone.

Instead, Stewart extended the inning with the single. Lubbock Christian took the lead moments later as the next batter tripled down the right field line. This inning proved pivotal as the Chaps would score the winning run during the top of the sixth.

Weinberg finished with seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work. He allowed eight hits and a walk. Weinberg took the loss after allowing four runs as his record dropped to 0-2 on the season.

Brandon Castaneda (Jr., Azusa, Calif.) and Gilbert Sauceda (Fr., Indio, Calif.) each went 2-for-4 to lead the Pack offense. Jordan Godman (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.)  also delivered a multi-hit performance for the Pack, going 2-for-5.

The Chaps threatened in the second as the visitors loaded the bases behind two singles and an error. However, Weinberg struck out Jaime Bustamante to leave the ducks on the pond.

The Pack would crack the scoreboard an inning later. Castaneda led off the inning with a double, Sauceda chased him home with a single that put the Pack on top 1-0.

After LCU knotted it up in the fourth, the Pack regained the lead in the fifth. Godman singled and stole second. Pueblo's own,  senior Dominick Bregar, bashed a single that plated Godman to put the Pack in front 2-1. Bregar and Godman both have a hit in each of the Pack's 11 games this season.

However, the Chaps came through with two outs in the sixth. Lubbock Christian scored three runs with two outs to chase Weinberg and take a 4-2 lead. The three run outburst proved to be enough for Brent Bezio who lasted eight innings, throwing 131 pitches. He struck out nine ThunderWolves.

CSU-Pueblo closed within one on a bizarre play in the eighth. Taylor Snyder (Jr., Elk Ridge, Utah) led off the inning with a double. Manny Menocal (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.) flew out to left on a play that would have been a sacrifice fly. However, the Chaps left fielder rolled an ankle and tumbled on the throw back into the infield allowing Snyder to score and give Menocal an RBI.

In the ninth inning, the Pack began to threaten again. However, Glen Warrick would earn his first save on a game-ending strike out, pick-off double play that gave the Chaps a 4-3 win.

The Pack begin Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play Friday, March 4, when they visit Regis University to begin a four-game set with the Rangers. First pitch Friday is set for 1 p.m. CSU-Pueblo will return home to Rawlings Field March 18, when they begin a four-game series against Adams State University

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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.