PUEBLO, Colo. (March 5, 2022) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team defeated Chadron State College twice on Saturday and came away with splitting the four-game set with the Eagles with a 7-5 win in game one, followed up by a thrilling 12-11 (8 inn.) victory in the series finale at Rawlings Sports Complex.

On the day, Katelynn Ralston (So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) went 7-for-7 at the plate including three doubles between the two games. She added two RBI and four runs to her impressive weekend offensively. In the circle, Ralston picked up the win in game one after throwing a complete game and gave up five runs, four earned and she scattered 11 hits by the Eagles.

Delaney Barela (So., Pueblo, Colo.) added three hits of her own to help carry the Pack to victory.

In the first game CSU Pueblo went ahead 3-0 through two and half innings as they manufactured their runs on defensive errors and in the third inning, Ralston executed a bunt single that allowed the runner from third base to score.

Chadron fought back over the next two innings and evened the score at 3-3 when CSU Pueblo regained the lead in their half of the fifth inning. In the frame Barela smacked a two-run single up the middle for the ThunderWolves.

After giving up a solo homerun in the bottom of the fifth, CSU Pueblo's offense continued to fire in the sixth when Taylor Puga (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) reached base on a error that scored Ashley Tosh (Fr., Fremont, Calif.) from second base.

Later in the inning, Raelynn Rogers (Fr., Surprise, Ariz.) capped the scoring on a RBI single up the middle to put the Pack ahead 7-4.

CSC added a run in their final at bat and got the tying run to the plate before Ralston retired the side and improved her record to 3-0 on the year.

In the series finale, the ThunderWolves were able to win the seesaw affair after being down 8-2 through four innings before the Pack offense erupted and put up ten runs over the last three innings including in the eighth inning.

Trailing by the six runs entering the sixth inning, the ThunderWolves cut the deficit to four after an RBI groundout from Tosh and a solo homerun hit by Hannah Hackney (Sr., Erie, Colo.).

Down to their last chance, the Pack took full advantage of defensive miscues and timely hitting throughout the lineup allowed for seven runs to cross on six hits in the inning. Three of the six hits were doubles from the Pack.

The large scoring frame was highlighted by a two-run double by Hackney. At the end of the inning, CSU Pueblo led 11-8 going to the bottom of the seventh.

CSC tied the game with three hits in the inning, sending the game to extra innings.

In the top half of the eighth, the ThunderWolves capitalized on a leadoff walk to Ralston who would end up on third base after another error by the Eagles defense. Ralston scored on a pop-up on the infield in which the first baseman fell backwards, allowing Ralston to tag up and score on the play for the one run lead.

Holding the 12-11 advantage into the Eagles last chance, Pack pitcher Sophia Lishner (So., Gilbert, Ariz.) allowed a walk with two outs and sealed the win on a groundout fielder's choice on the infield.

Lishner improves her record to 2-2 on the year.

CSU Pueblo (8-3, 5-3 RMAC) will remain at home next week and host MSU Denver in a four-game RMAC series starting Saturday at noon at Rawlings Sports Complex.