PUEBLO, Colo. (March 18, 2023) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team split its first two games in a four-game set against New Mexico Highlands and won the series opener 3-1 before dropping a 2-0 decision in game two on Saturday at Rawlings Sports Complex.

For the day, Caitlyn Cole (Fr., Merced, Calif.) and Seaerra Fuentes Arellano (Sr., Ewa Beach, Hawai'i) both went 2-for-4 at the plate.

Cole gave the Pack an early lead in the first inning of game one and hit her third homerun of the season, a bomb over the left field wall.

In the first game, Lucy Carney (So., Lakwood, Colo.) was dominant in the circle and pitched another complete game. She gave up one run and four hits to go with four strikeouts.

New Mexico Highlands evened the score at 1-1 in the second inning on an RBI-single to right field. 

Carney allowed no hits over the next three innings to allow the ThunderWolves offense to wake up during their half of the fifth inning.

CSU Pueblo regained the lead and scored two runs in the fifth, playing small ball. The Pack took advantage of a hit by pitch taken by Taylor Brower (Fr., Vacaville, Calif.) to start the frame and she would come around to score on a sac flyout from Cole.

The next batter, Raelynn Rogers (So., Surprise, Ariz.) singled up the middle and added to the Pack's lead. 

Carney and the defense held strong over the next three innings and Carney allowed no hits to the Cowgirls.

NMHU would get the tying run to the plate in each of the sixth and seventh inning but a groundout to shortstop ended the game, 3-1 in favor of the Pack.

Carney improves to 6-5 on the season.

In the second game, a pitcher's dual was the storyline as Pack starter Jacelynn Trujillo (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.) and NMHU's Maya Milano threw at least five innings of scoreless ball. Trujillo allowed one hit over five innings of work and struck out four Cowgirls.

Milano scattered six hits over seven innings in the circle.

Marika Spector (Jr., Wimberley, Tex.) came on to pitch the sixth inning and she would finish with two innings thrown and two runs and one earned run allowed.

NMHU broke the scoreless tie and added another run with single runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings. Both runs came with two outs.

The ThunderWolves recorded six hits and left five runners on base. The Pack had two runners get into scoring position and five of the six hits were singles.

Darleen Falcon (Fr., Moreno Valley, Calif.) had the lone extra-base hit, a double to left to lead off the bottom of the seventh.

Milano retired the next three batters, leaving Falcon stranded in scoring position. 

Spector picks up the loss and falls to 0-2 on the year.

CSU Pueblo (9-18, 4-14 RMAC) and the Cowgirls will finish the series with another doubleheader on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. at Rawlings Sports Complex.