DENVER, Colo. (February 18, 2024) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team dropped its first two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games on the road at Regis on Sunday at Regis Softball Field.

The Rangers won the series opener 4-1 and a late-game rally fell short for the ThunderWolves in a 7-6 loss.

Raelynn Rogers (Jr., Surprise, Ariz.) had herself a breakout day and registered five hits in two games, while Madelyn Huerta (So., Azusa, Calif.) had three hits in the twin bill.

Caitlyn Cole (So., Merced, Calif.) collected three RBI in the second game for the Pack and Huerta, Zoie Armstrong (Jr., Lincoln, Neb.) and Emma Case (Fr., Loveland, Colo.) each recorded a double.

Game one recap
In the opener, the Pack went down in order and in the bottom of the first, after retiring the lead-off batter, Pack hurler McKenna James (So., Windsor, Colo.) walked the next three batters and was able to get out of the bases loaded jam with two line outs to get the ThunderWolves back on offense.

Rangers starting pitcher Kylie Harpman allowed one walk thru the first three innings before Cole broke up the no-hit bid with one out in the fourth.

Regis scored single runs in the second and third innings and took a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, Huerta led off the top half with a single to right and that base runner was left on base with outs over the next consecutive batters.

The home half seen two more runs cross the plate for the Rangers as they built a 4-0 lead through five complete.

In the sixth and with two outs, CSU Pueblo got two runners in to scoring position but the Rangers defense got out of the inning unscathed.

The Pack quickly got back on offense in their final at-bat and Huerta started off with a double to right and one out later, a double by Armstrong to right, scored Huerta, helping the Pack avoid the shutout.

Harpman was able to retire the final two batters and lift Regis the 4-1 win.

With the loss, James falls to 0-6 on the year.

Game two recap
The ThunderWolves responded in the nightcap and registered 10 hits, guided by Rogers going 4-for-4 at the plate and scored three runs.

CSU Pueblo scored the first run in the first at-bat when Rogers singled through the left side and she would later come around to score on a RBI-groundout by Cole.

Regis evened the score in the bottom of the second inning on a sac flyout.

In the third, Rogers got on base with a single on the infield. She would steal second and reached third on a groundout on the infield.

Rogers was left at third with back-to-back outs against the ThunderWolves.

The Pack's offense came alive in the fourth and took advantage of an error on the Rangers, along with a single from Ashley Tosh (Jr., Fremont, Calif.) and a RBI-double hit by Case, gave the Pack a 2-1 lead. 

Regis tied the game and earned a walk with the bases loaded, tying the game at 2-2.

CSU Pueblo regained the lead in their next at-bat on a hit recorded and another error by the Ranger defense. 

The home team tied it up again with a single run in their at-bat.

After a 1-2-3 sixth inning for the Pack, Regis tacked on four runs on five hits and built a 7-3 lead going to the seventh inning.

In the Pack's last chance, Rogers registered her fourth hit of the contest and got the ball rolling.

Cole stepped up with two runners on base and hit a RBI single to right center, followed by a RBI groundout on the infield by Huerta cut the lead down to 7-5.

The next batter Tosh hit a single to center field, plating the third run of the inning and putting the tying run in scoring position.

The Rangers were able to retire the final batter and come away with a 7-6 win.

Jacelynn Trujillo (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) pitched 2.0 innings and was tagged with the loss, falling to 1-2 on the year.

Starting in the circle for the Pack, Marissa Robertson (So., Rocklin, Calif.) lasted 4.0 innings and gave up three runs on five hits and allowed seven walks and two strikeouts.

Up next
CSU Pueblo will wrap the four-game series with another doubleheader on Monday starting at 11 a.m. at Regis Softball Field in Denver.