LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo won its third series in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this season here Sunday afternoon after splitting a doubleheader against Colorado Christian at All-Star Park.
 
The ThunderWolves, who have won RMAC series this season against UCCS, New Mexico Highlands and CCU, opened Sunday's doubleheader with a 10-9 win, before CCU scored six runs in the fourth inning to tum a 7-6 deficit into a 12-7 win in the nightcap.
 
With the doubleheader split, the Pack improve to 16-25 overall and 12-12 in the RMAC, while CCU moves to 11-25-1 overall and 7-13 in the league. With its 12-12 record, the Pack are in fifth place in the league standings with two more league series remaining.
 
The Pack remain on the road next weekend (April 21-23) for a four-game RMAC series in Alamosa, Colo., against Adams State.
 
GAME 1 | CSU Pueblo 10, Colorado Christian 9
 The Pack opened Sunday's doubleheader by scoring runs in five of the nine innings, including using an RBI single in the seventh by redshirt senior shortstop Trey Vasquez (Greeley, Colo./Dodge City CC) to take a 10-9 lead. That RBI single proved to be the game winner for the Pack.
 
In the game, the Pack recorded 12 hits, including a 3-for-5 effort at the plate with three runs scored by sophomore rightfielder Elijah Borjas (Denver, Colo./Lakewood). In addition to Borjas, sophomore third baseman Kysen Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) and junior designed hitter Christian Casteneda (El Paso, Texas/Otero JC) each had two hits. Casteneda added 3 RBI in the win.
 
The Pack jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI triple by Casteneda, which plated Borjas, who had reached on a two-out single to left.
 
CCU, though, would respond by scoring five runs on five hits in the bottom of the third to take a 5-1 lead. All five runs by the Cougars in the inning came off of home runs as Jordan Medina drilled a 3-run shot over the wall in right and two batters later, Major Maydon hit a 2-run homer over the wall in right.
 
Casteneda brought the Pack with two runs on his 2-run homer in the top of the fourth inning and Vasquez would bring the Pack within a run a 5-4 after he scored later in the inning on an error by CCU second baseman Luke Thompson.
 
CCU would add three more runs in the fourth off of junior hurler Nick Perry (Denton, Texas/Richland JC) to push its lead to 8-4. Two of the three runs came home on a 2-run homer by Thompson.
 
CSU Pueblo used a two-run homer by Borjas in the top of the fifth to pull within 8-6. The homer by Borjas was his fourth of the season.
 
The Pack used three hits and a Cougar error in the top of the sixth to plate three runs to take a 9-8 lead in the game. In the inning, junior catcher Brady Prewitt (Raytown, Mo./Iowa Western CC) reached on a one-out double and then scored on an RBI single by senior centerfielder Noah Hennings (Draper, Utah/Southern Utah). Later in the inning, redshirt junior second baseman Cole Knightley (Solvang, Calif./Santa Ynez) brought home a run on his RBI triple to left and the Pack's other run scored on a sacrifice fly by senior leftfielder Zac Hanenberg (Cañon City, Colo./ Cañon City).
 
CCU would tie the game at 9-all in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Eli Ludwig off redshirt freshman Caden English (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield), who replaced Perry on the mound in the fifth inning.
 
In the top of the seventh, Howard led off with a ground-rule double, moved to third on an error by CCU pitcher Cole Kennedy and scored on Vasquez's single to left.
 
English would then allow just one base runner in the seventh and eighth innings to pick up the win and then redshirt junior Edwing Corrales (Delicias, Mexico/Otero JC) allowed two base runners in the ninth before holding on for his second save of the season.
 
CCU finished the game with 14 hits, including a 4-for-5 effort at the plate from Ludwig. Five of CCU's 14 hits went for extra bases, including hitting three home runs.
 
English (1-0) picked up his first win of the season as he tossed four innings and allowed three hits and one run, while walking one and striking out two. Perry tossed four innings and allowed 10 hits and eight runs, while striking out three and walking none.
 
Kennedy (2-2) took the loss for CCU as he tossed 3.2 innings and allowed two hits and one unearned run, while striking out two and walking none.
 
CCU committed four errors and led six runners on base, while CSU Pueblo left two runners on base and committed an error. Both teams turned a double play in the contest.
 
GAME 2 | Colorado Christian 12, CSU Pueblo 7
In the nightcap, the two teams combined for 29 hits and 19 runs, but the Pack defense committed two errors that led five unearned runs for the Cougars.
 
Borjas went 4-for-4 at the plate in the nightcap, while Casteneda, Prewitt and senior first baseman Reggie Williams (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County) each had two hits. Williams and Howard each scored two runs in the series finale.
 
CCU exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second off sophomore Travis Farrell (Las Vegas, Nev./Otero JC) and sophomore reliever Jacob Petersheim (Broadway, Va./Broadway). The six runs came off five hits and a passed ball. The big hit in the inning was a 2-run double by Gabe Ramos down the right field line.
 
In the top of the third, the Pack got four of those six runs back to pull within 6-4. Williams reached on a double with one out, scored on an RBI single by Borjas and then Casteneda followed with an RBI single that scored Howard, who walked after Williams' double. Prewitt then brought home the final two runs on his 2-run single to right off Saxton Sorenson, who started on the mound for the Cougars.
 
The Pack added three more runs in the top of the fourth to take a 7-6 lead. In the inning, the runs were brought home on RBI singles by Howard and Casteneda and an RBI ground out by Prewitt.
 
CCU, though, would respond by scoring six runs on six hits and one error to take a 12-7 lead. The big hit in the inning was a 2-run single by Ludwig off of junior hurler Charlie Williams (Bucyrus, Kan./Metropolitan CC), who was the third of five pitchers used by the Pack in the nightcap.
 
The Pack had a scoring chance in the top of the seventh as they put two runners on base thanks to a single by Knightley and a walk issued to junior pinch hitter Edmund King (Imperial Beach, Calif./Southwestern). But the Pack would fail to score either of those runners as JC Watne retired the next hitters on fielder's choices to end the game.
 
CCU had 15 hits in the nightcap as Ludwig was 3-for-5 with 3 RBI, while Thompson, Ramos, Medina and Frankie Shearn each had two hits in the win.
 
Watne (2-3) earned the win for CCU as he pitched four innings in relief and allowed four hits and no runs, whole walking two and striking out five.
 
Charlie Williams (0-1) took the loss for the Pack as he faced two hitters and allowed two hits and an unearned run. Farrell lasted just 1.1 innings in his second start of the season as he allowed six hits and five runs, while walking two and striking out none.
 
The Cougars turned two double plays and left nine runners on base. CSU Pueblo stranded 10 runners on base in the nightcap.