PUEBLO, Colo. (February 3, 2019) – Colorado State University-Pueblo Baseball blasted Adams State University 21-7 Sunday at Rawlings Field to complete a sweep of the Grizzlies. The Pack set a D-II opening weekend record by scoring at least 15 runs in their first three games and averaging at least 20 runs per game (since 2010).
Rion Santamaria (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) broke a Pack record with three triples in the same game. Santamaria's three-triple performance matched a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record. The Pack's right fielder collected four hits and a walk in five trips. He scored three times and drove in three more runs.
Santamaria finished his debut series with the Pack 8-for-11 (.727) with four triples, nine runs scored and six RBIs. Thanks to four walks, he posted an .800 on base percentage.
Preseason All-American
Dakota Popham (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) delivered five hits and a walk in seven at bats. Popham scored four runs and added three RBIs. The Pack's third baseman belted his first home run and his first double of the season.
Aidan Welch (So., Seattle, Wash.) went 2-for-4 with three runs. Welch hit .636 with six runs scored and drove in five during the season opening series.
In his lone at-bat,
JP Hopkins (R-Jr., Chino Hills, Calif.) whacked a grand slam home run. The dinger was the first of Hopkins' Pack career. In two at-bats, Hopkins is 2-for-2 with two runs scored and five RBIs.
Gilbert Sauceda (Sr., Indio, Calif.) continued his push to the RMAC's walk record with three free passes. Sauceda needs just 37 walks to set a new conference record and 20 more to break the Pack's record. He finished the weekend with seven walks.
Matt Goytia (Jr., La Puente, Calif.) earned the first win of his Pack career. Goytia threw two scoreless innings of relief. He struck out two and allowed two hits and three walks.
The Grizzlies started strong for the second straight day. Adams State scored one run in the first. They added four more runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead.
With one crack of the bat, Popham put the Pack on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the third. In the bottom of the fifth,
Jesse Holguin (Fr., Colton, Calif.) hit a two-run single that brought the Pack back within two.
The Grizzlies added to their advantage in the sixth with two runs. They led 7-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Pack erupted with 10 runs. CSU-Pueblo sent 14 batters to the plate. Santamaria swatted two triples in the same inning and drove in three runs during the sixth inning.
Two innings later, the Pack scored eight more runs. For the second time in the game, the Pack batted around sending 13 more batters to the dish. Hopkins hammered his grand slam home run to make it 20-7.
Reggie Williams (Fr., Castle Rock, Colo.) knocked in one more run to give the Pack a 21-7 lead.
Bret Ricklefs (Sr., Meriden, Kan.) threw a 1-2-3 ninth as the Pack completed a sweep.
The Pack finished their incredible opening series with 61 runs, 20.33 per game. They hit .444 with a .575 on base percentage. The ThunderWolves lead the RMAC with a 3-0 record. They batted around five times during the weekend.
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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.
