PUEBLO, Colo. (February 5, 2020) – Colorado State University-Pueblo Baseball will open its season Friday when the Pack welcomes Emporia State University to Rawlings Field for a 1 p.m. The Pack and Hornets will also play a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. and wrap up the series Sunday with a game at noon.

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Pack Notes:
The ThunderWolves will look to improve on their 26-25 record from 2019, their 21st winning season in the last 25 years. CSU-Pueblo went 21-15 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, finishing fourth but taking sixth due to a violation.

Led by Second Team All-RMAC selection, Easton Adler (Sr., Mead, Colo.), the Pack returns five starters offensively. Adler led the Pack with a .390 batting average, fourth-most in the RMAC. He stole a team-high 16 bases in 2019. Adler earned Preseason Second Team All-South Central Region honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Aidan Welch (Jr., Seattle, Wash.) drove in 40 runs last year, second-most on the Pack and the most of any returning ThunderWolf. Welch hit .331 with 12 doubles and three home runs. He enters the season on an eight-game hitting streak.

Rion Santamaria (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) batted .359 in 48 games last season. Santamaria led the Pack with four triples in 2019.

Seniors Daniel Abiles (Chandler, Ariz.) and Stone Romero (Albuquerque, N.M.) are both back behind the plate for the Pack. Abiles hit .324, while Romero batted .273 with 20 RBIs.

Kodee Martin (Sr., Elkhorn, Neb.) returns and will likely start at shortstop. Martin swiped five bags last season and posted a 93.9 fielding percentage.

The Pack returns a lot of depth in the outfield with seniors Logan Gibbons (Taylorsville, Utah), JP Hopkins (Chino Hills, Calif.), and Adrian Martinez (Tucson, Ariz.) all returning. This trio accounted for 61 runs, five home runs, and 50 RBIs.

Billy Reyes (R-Sr., Yucaipa, Calif.)  returns to the Pack after missing last season due to injury. A former RMAC Hitter of the Week, Reyes hit .253 with two home runs and 15 RBIs in 2018. Pitcher, Jacob Garcia (R-So., Romoland, Calif.) also comes back after missing the 2019 season.

The Pack brings in 22 newcomers that will look to make an impact for the ThunderWolves. Nine new faces will bolster the Pack's pitching staff, while eleven new position players will take the field for the Pack.

Among these newcomers are Cole Martin (Jr., Ridgecrest, Calif.) and Lucas Montoya-Kaber (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.), who both second-generation players for Coach Sanchez. Martin is the son of Kevin Martin and Montoya-Kaber is the son of Benji Kaber.

Seven pitchers return for CSU-Pueblo. Gunner Pickett (Sr., Longmont, Colo.) went 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts at the end of last season. Pickett struck out 31 batters in 31.1 innings of work.

Brett Matthews (Sr., Queen Creek, Ariz.) finished 3-3. He fanned 46 batters in 41.2 innings of work.

Andrew Coverly (Sr., Aurora, Colo.) had five saves in 2019, third-most in the RMAC. Relievers Rocco Arguto (Pueblo , Colo.), Gary Fayard (Sr., Corona, Calif.) Matt Goytia, JC Hatch (Sr., Corona, Calif.) all return for the Pack's bullpen.

Scouting Emporia State
The Hornets started the 2020 season 3-0. They went 27-22 in 2019. CSU-Pueblo last played the Hornets in 2017. Emporia State won two of the three games played at Rawlings Field. 

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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.