SILVER CITY, NM (February 12, 2022) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team won its first game of the season in dramatic fashion, earning a 13-12 come-from-behind victory over Western New Mexico Saturday in the season opener. Game two was postponed to start the top of the sixth inning due to darkness and will resume Sunday at 11 a.m.

In the opener, Hannah Hackney (Sr., Erie, Colo.) went 3-for-4 with five RBI and a walk. Isabel Griego (Sr., Loveland, Colo.) and Katelynn Ralston (So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) both notched three hits and three runs.

In the first game of the Bianca Duran era, CSU Pueblo's offense erupted for ten runs over two innings after finding themselves down 7-0 through the first two innings and chasing Pack starting pitcher Taylor Strupp (Sr., San Tan Valley, Ariz.).

Sophia Lishner (So., Gilbert, Ariz.) was called on in relief during the second inning with traffic on the bases and was able to escape with no further damage.

In their half of the third, CSU Pueblo started the inning with a walk and a single that set up Hackney to step up to the plate and crush the first homerun of the season for the ThunderWolves and cut into the Mustangs lead 7-3.

After a 1-2-3 home half of the third inning, the Pack offense ignited for seven runs on seven hits during an action packed top of the fourth inning. The Pack totaled five RBI hits and took advantage of two errors defensively to take a 10-7 heading to the bottom of the frame.

In the fifth inning, WNMU regained the lead after scoring five runs on three hits.

After a scoreless sixth inning, CSU Pueblo got back on offense for the last stitch effort and with one out, four straight singles coupled with a big error against the Mustangs defense accounted for the three runs and a one-run lead.

Clinging to their single run lead, Strupp came back on in the pitcher's circle and struck out one, allowed a single and induced two fly ball outs to seal the Pack's first win of the year.

Strupp was credited with the win and sits at 1-0. As a team, the ThunderWolves tallied three stolen bases along with three extra-base hits in the game.

CSU Pueblo (1-0) will continue and wrap the series against WNMU starting Sunday at 11 a.m. in Silver City, New Mexico.