GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (May 13, 2016) -  Facing a tied game in the top of the ninth inning, Colorado State University-Pueblo baseball scored five runs to beat No. 8 Colorado Mesa University 7-2 and advance to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament Championship game. 

With the bases loaded, and two outs in the ninth, Jordyn Compehos (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) broke the tie with a bases clearing hit that broke a 2-2 tie. The No. 2 seeded Pack would add two more runs to upset the No.1 seeded Mavericks. 

The five-run lead would be more than enough for Josh Nuernberg (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) who threw 3.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn his fourth win of the season. Nuernberg only allowed one hit and struck out two batters to improve his record to 4-1. 

Compehos went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored. He came in as a pinch runner for Francis Griffin (Sr., Oakland, Calif.) who also went 1-for-2. 

Kyle Peeler (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) put the Pack in position to win with a strong pitching performance. Peeler threw 5.1 innings allowing two runs and seven hits. He struck out four and forced two double plays 

In the top of the second inning, the Pack pushed across the game's first run. Brandon Castaneda (Jr., Azusa, Calif.) singled. He advanced to second on a Gilbert Sauceda (Fr., Indio, Calif.) base knock. With two on and two outs, Catcher Beau Cebulski (Sr., Las Animas, Calif.) drove in Castaneda with a single to put the Pack up 1-0. 

The Mavericks tied it up in the fourth after an error. They would load the bases with just one away, but Peeler answered with back-to-back punchouts to keep the score tied.

An inning later, the Mavericks brought one across to take a 2-1 lead. They threatened to add to it with runners at second and third and two outs. Once again, Peeler came through with a big strikeout to keep the deficit at one. 

The Pack did not trail for long. In the top of the sixth, Griffin led off the frame with a single and then left the game for the pinch runner Compehos. A sacrifice bunt from Jordan Godman (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.) moved Compehos into scoring position.

Dominick Bregar (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) tied the game two batters later with a RBI single. Bregar drove in his 44th RBI of the season, the second most in the RMAC. He finished the day 2-for-5 and added his RMAC-leading 22nd double of the season. 

With the score knotted up at two, the Mavericks threatened again in the sixth. They had two men on with two away when the Pack handed the ball to Nuernberg. He worked out of the jam on just one pitch as the game stayed deadlocked. 

The Pack and Mavericks remained tied until the top ninth. Colorado Mesa reliever Tyler Ehlers walked Castaneda, Oliver Jackson (Jr., Mission Viejo, Calif.), and Sauceda to load the bases. With two out, Compehos stepped in and swatted a single to center field. Castaneda and Jackson scored on the play. Sauceda came home when the Mavericks threw down to second to try and get Compehos who advanced on the throw home to make it 5-2. 

Godman followed with his seventh triple of the season to bring in a fired up Compehos. This triple also gave Godman his 40th RBI of the season. He finished the day 1-for-3. 

Taylor Snyder (Jr., Elk Ridge, Utah) cranked a single to bring in Godman and make it 7-2. The RBI base knock gave Snyder the RMAC lead in RBIs with 45. The shortstop now has a hit in each of his last six games. 

The Pack sent 10 men to the dish in the ninth, scoring five runs. With the Pack holding a five-run lead, they turned to Nuernberg to finish the game. He sat down the Mavericks 1-2-3 to give the Pack a 7-2 win over the No.1 seed. 

CSU-Pueblo advanced to the RMAC Championship game Saturday at 1 p.m. The Mavericks will play the winner of the Colorado Schools of Mines vs. Adams State University for the right to face the Pack Friday at 7 p.m. The Pack needs just one more win to clinch the sixth RMAC Tournament Championship in school history.  

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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.