PUEBLO, Colo. (February 25, 2024) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team won 3-of-4 games in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series match-up against Chadron State after scoring an 8-3 win in game one on Sunday and followed by a 2-1 walk-off win in the series finale at Rawlings Sports Complex.

Caitlyn Cole (So., Merced, Calif.) led the ThunderWolves offensively and finished the day with six hits including four runs and two RBI. Cole smacked a double with one out, scoring Tori Cordova (Jr., Pueblo West, Colo.) who started the inning with a single on the infield.

Ashley Tosh (Jr., Fremont, Calif.) had herself a day and went 4-for-6 at the dish and a walk, including a 4-for-4 performance in game one. Tosh recorded three RBI in the two games.

In the circle, McKenna James (So., Windsor, Colo.) picked up the win in the circle during game one. She went the distance and allowed three runs and three walks to go with five strikeouts and improves to 2-7 on the year.

Jacelynn Trujillo (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) earned the win for the ThunderWolves in game two and tossed a complete game and allowed one run and three strikeouts and allowed no walks.

Game one recap
In the first game Sunday, Chadron State scored two quick runs in the first at-bat before CSU Pueblo went on offense and tied the game with two runs in the bottom half. Raelynn Rogers (Jr., Surprise, Ariz.) led off the inning with a single down the left field line and moved into scoring position in the next at-bat, a sac bunt.

Rogers would come around to score when Cole laid down a bunt and the speed of Cole caused the third baseman to rush the throw that went wide of the defender and allowed Rogers to score from third.

Later in the inning, Tosh doubled to left center with two outs and scored Cole from second base and evened the score at 2-2.

After a scoreless second inning for Chadron, CSU Pueblo returned to the dugout and the offense continued to apply pressure on the Eagles defense

Delaney Barela (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) hit a bunt single to reach safely and came around to score on a RBI-single hit by Darleen Falcon (So., Moreno Valley, Calif.).

The next batter, Cole hit a RBI-double to right center and extended the ThunderWolves lead to 4-2.

With two outs in the frame, Madelyn Huerta (So.,Azusa, Calif.) drew a walk and with Cole still at second base, aggressive base running from the Pack, created another scoring chance and plated the fifth run of the game.

Huerta eventually came around to score on a RBI-single on the infield by Tosh and gave CSU Pueblo a 6-2 lead through two innings.

Chadron State plated a single run in the third on a sac fly out with two outs in the inning to cut into the Pack lead.

The ThunderWolves scored a single run in the fourth on a RBI-double hit by Tosh and another single run crossed the plate in the home half of the sixth on a RBI-single hit by Emma Case (Fr., Loveland, Colo.). 

Tori Cordova (Jr., Pueblo West, Colo.) came on to pinch-hit and hit into a line drive double play to end the scoring threat.

In the seventh, James allowed a single to the lead-off hitter but was able to record two strikeouts and a ground out to end the game, 8-3 in favor of the Pack.

Game two recap
The series finale turned into a pitcher's dual between the Pack's Trujillo and CSC's Tori Haug. 

Trujillo out pitched Haug and allowed one run in the fifth inning and scattered five hits in the contest. Haug was responsible for two runs and one unearned run and allowed the walk-off hit to Cole with one out in the seventh.

CSU Pueblo managed eight hits in the game and tallied four hits through four innings and scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning after getting two runners on base, more aggressive base running resulted in a run crossing the plate for the Pack and tied the game at 1-1 going to the seventh inning.

In the top half, Trujillo gave up a single but retired the side with her third strikeout of the game to send the Pack back on offense.

The home half of the seventh, the ThunderWolves' offense was sparked in the first at-bat when Cordova drew the lead-off walk and scored the winning run on the Cole double.

Up next
CSU Pueblo (5-14, 3-5 RMAC) will hit the road for two RMAC road series starting next week at Black Hills State. The four-game set will start Saturday at Noon in Spearfish, S.D.

The Pack will stay on the road for another series at New Mexico Highlands before returning home March 15 to start a four-game set against MSU Denver at Rawlings Sports Complex.