PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo baseball team will open its 2023 season here Friday, Feb. 10 when the ThunderWolves welcome St. Edward's University to Rawlings Field for a 2 p.m. game. The two teams will then conclude the weekend with another nine-inning game on Saturday, Feb. 11 beginning at 12 p.m.
The Pack, who are led by second-year head coach and CSU Pueblo alum
Bobby Applegate, will look to improve upon their 27-26 record in Applegate's first season in 2022. The 27 wins marked the 22nd winning season in the last 27 years for the Pack. CSU Pueblo posted a 17-15 record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, finishing tied for fourth and advancing to the RMAC Tournament where they went 1-2, including picking up a 6-5 win over top-seeded Colorado Mesa on the second day of the tournament.
In the 2023 Preseason RMAC Coaches Poll, the Pack were tabbed to finish fourth as they earned 43 points from the league's head coaches. The Pack were five points behind third place Regis (48 points) and four points in front of fifth place Mines (39 points).
Applegate's second CSU Pueblo team returns five starters, five of its top eight pitchers and four All-RMAC selections from a season ago. In addition, the team's top three hitters return this season after hitting a combined .373 collectively during the 2022 season.
The top returning All-RMAC selection from a season ago coming back is senior outfielder
Noah Hennings (Draper, Utah/Southern Idaho), who was a Second-Team All-RMAC selection a season ago after hitting .356 with 69 hits in 194 at-bats and also scoring a team-leading 55 runs. Hennings also was tied for the team lead in doubles with 17, added four triples, four home runs and had 43 RBI. He was also 10-for-15 on stolen bases and walked 25 times and was hit by 15 pitches.
In addition to Hennings, senior first baseman
Reggie Williams (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County), who was an Honorable Mention All-RMAC selection last season, led the team in hitting with a .396 average as he had 74 hits, scored 45 runs, recorded 16 doubles, two home runs and had 32 RBI. Additionally, he drew 36 walks and struck out just 18 times in 187 at-bats and slugged .513.
Another key returner is junior catcher
Brady Prewitt (Raytown, Mo./Iowa Western). Prewitt recorded a .368 batting average with 74 hits, 53 runs scored, 17 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 48 RBI. He also led the team with a .617 slugging percentage and had an on-base percentage of .434.
The other returning All-RMAC offensive player for the Pack from last season is redshirt senior shortstop
Trey Vasquez (Greeley, Colo./Dodge City CC), who was an Honorable Mention All-RMAC honoree in 2022 after hitting .328 with 63 hits, 53 runs scored, nine doubles, five triples, six home runs and 49 RBI and led the team in stolen bases with 13 as he was 13-for-16 on the year.
CSU Pueblo's other returning position starter is sophomore third baseman
Kysen Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest), who hit .310 last season with 39 hits, 28 runs scored, 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 32 RBI. He also slugged .508 and was a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen bases.
Meanwhile, the top returning starting pitcher is junior
Zach Pratt (Belton, Mo./Metropolitan CC), who earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC honors last season after posting a 4-1 record and a 4.88 ERA in 11 appearances and 10 starts. On the season, the right-hander, who is expected to start Friday's season opener, tossed 51.2 innings and allowed 50 hits, 32 runs, 28 earned runs, while walking 25 and striking out 49.
Other top returning pitchers returning include sophomore
Frank Wierman (Surprise, Ariz./Shadow Creek), graduate student
Cole Martin (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cerro Coso CC), sophomore
Owen Rudolphi (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) and redshirt junior
Edwing Corrales (Delicias, Mexico/Otero JC).
In addition to the five returning starters, Applegate and his coaching staff added numerous newcomers to its roster during the offseason and some of those key newcomers are junior pitcher/infielder
Tyler Curtis (Las Vegas, Nev./Southern Idaho), junior pitcher/outfielder
Christian Casteneda (El Paso, Texas/Otero JC), sophomore lefthander pitcher
Travis Farrell (Las Vegas, Nev./Otero JC). Along with those newcomers, the team added two mid-year transfers in junior infielder
Joseph Quintana (Golden, Colo./Erskine College) and redshirt freshman pitcher
Cole Bloomer (Arapahoe, Colo./Lamar CC).
ABOUT ST. EDWARDS
The Hilltoppers come into this weekend's action sporting a 4-0 record after winning all four games last weekend at Texas A&M-Kingsville. St. Edward's opens the 2023 season ranked fifth in the NCBWA Preseason South Central Regional rankings and is ranked 16th in the Preseason
Collegiate Baseball Top 40 poll.
In last weekend's four games against Texas A&M-Kingsville, SEU outscored the Javalinas, 43-15 as they opened the season with a 6-0 win, before earning an 8-5 win in the second game of the season. The Hilltoppers then earned a 20-2 win in the third game and closed the series with a 9-8 win.
St. Edward's, who advanced to the finals of the NCAA South Central Regional last season before falling 29-6 to Colorado Mesa, is led by senior pitcher Wesley Gafford, who was named the Preseason Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Year and was named a Preseason NCBWA All-Region and a Second-Team NCBWA Preseason All-American. Last season, Gafford led the LSC in strikeouts with 101 and finished second in ERA at 3.91.
He started the season opener and allowed just three hits and no runs in six innings of work, while striking out nine and walking one.
Two other top returning pitchers for St. Edward's are junior Jack Granack and junior lefthander Luke Short. Short is 1-0 this season as he tossed five shutout innings and allowed just one hit while striking out nine and walking one in the third game of the series, while Granack is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA this season as he allowed six hits and five runs (three earned), while walking two and fanning one in the second game of the season.
The Hilltoppers offense this season is led by junior outfielder Hunter Conner, who is hitting .500 on the year with seven hits, four runs scored, one triple, one home run, six RBII, three stolen bases and an .857 slugging percentage.
In addition to Conner, freshman designated hitter Connor Cox is hitting .400 on the year as he had four hits and scored five runs in the three games against TAMU-Kingsville. He also had a double, a triple, four RBI and slugged .700.
Junior catcher Cullen Ainsworth, who is a returning All-LSC performer from last season, hit .357 for SEU in its four game series with Kingsville. On the weekend, he recorded five hits, scored six runs, hit two home runs and had 7 RBI, while slugging a robust .786.
In the Preseason LSC Poll, the Hilltoppers were tabbed to finish fifth as they earned 296 points from the league's coaches, SIDs and media members.
This will be the first-ever meetings between the two schools on the diamond.
UP NEXT
Folllowing this weekend's two games with St. Edward's, the Pack will remain at home as they host RMAC conference foe, UCCS, in a non-conference game on Tuesday, Feb. 14 beginning at 2 p.m.
