PUEBLO, Colo. (February 13, 2022) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team completed the series sweep of Western New Mexico following a 13-8 (5 inn.) win in the conclusion of the game postponed from Saturday and ended the series with an 8-3 victory in the finale.

The ThunderWolves open the season 3-0 for the first time since the 2001 season.

"What a first weekend out," said Pack Head Coach Bianca Duran. "Game one we definitely were playing tight in the beginning but once we talked about having the right mindset and locked back in we started playing our game."

Duran added, "I was very proud of the fight the girls showed this weekend. We talk a lot about execution and making adjustments and I feel like we did that throughout the entire weekend."

In the series against the Mustangs, the ThunderWolves scored 34 runs on 40 hits and the team batted a .408 average on the weekend. They totaled ten doubles and a point of emphasis for the team this season is speed on the bases and the Pack went 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts.

Offensively, Hannah Hackney (Sr., Erie, Colo.) and Katelynn Ralston (So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) both tallied seven hits along with eight and seven RBI, respectively.

Ralston finished with four doubles and six runs. In the pitcher's circle, Ralston went 1-0 and finished with nine strikeouts in 6.0 innings.

After reviewing NCAA rules, the postponed game was declared a 13-8 Pack victory as a result of the game reaching beyond the fifth inning when it was delayed.

In that game, Ralston and Delaney Barela (So., Pueblo, Colo.) both posted three hits and combined for five runs.

In the series finale, CSU Pueblo scored a pair of runs on a two-run single by Ashley Tosh (Fr., Fremont, Calif.) with two outs and capitalizing on two walks issued in the first inning.

WNMU evened the score in their first at bat on a two-run homerun and would take a 3-2 in the second inning with three hits in the frame.

In the fifth inning, CSU Pueblo tied the game when Ralston batted in Raelynn Rogers (Fr., Surprise, Ariz.) who led off the inning with a single and got into scoring position on a defensive error.

Heading to the final inning and the score locked at 3-3, the Pack offense tacked on five runs on five hits highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Seaerra Fuentes Arellano (Jr., Ewa Beach, Hawai'i).

In the home half, Sophia Lishner (So., Gilbert, Ariz.) shut the door on the Mustangs and finished her day with one run allowed and scattered seven hits and three strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work.

"To score 34 runs over the course of the weekend attests to the strength of our offense," Duran added. "We definitely were able to have a better idea of where we are at and some things we need to keep working at but overall I was pleased to see execution from all parts of our lineup and pitching staff."

CSU Pueblo (3-0) will have one week off before starting Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play at home, Feb. 26-27 against Mines at Rawlings Sports Complex.