AUSTIN, Texas – The Colorado State University Pueblo baseball squad opened up their 2024 campaign with a road victory on Thursday afternoon, defeating St. Edward's University 5-1 at Lucian-Hamilton Field in Austin, Texas.

The ThunderWolves finished Thursday's season opener with nine hits, including a 3-for-4 performance at the plate from junior third-baseman Kysen Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest), driving in two runs.

Junior second-baseman Joseph Quintana (Golden, Colo./Erskine College) and sophomore right-fielder Jeremiah Sanchez (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo West) each had two hits for the Pack in the victory. Howard drove in two of CSU Pueblo's five runs, while senior pitcher Tyler Curtis (Las Vegas, Nev./Southern Idaho) pitched five solid innings, just allowing one run on five hits.

With the loss, the Hilltoppers fell to 3-2 on the season as they were held to just one run on the afternoon behind six hits and six men left on base. The lone run for St. Edward's came off a fourth inning solo home run by Dillon Flores. St. Edward's was paced by third-baseman Trevor Sebek as he went 2-for-4 on the afternoon.

The Pack fell behind first after Flores' solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, but that did not last long as CSU Pueblo responded in the top half of the fifth inning. Junior shortstop Rob Mansour (LaVerne, Calif./Cuesta College) singled to right to start the fifth and eventually came around to score after some Pack small ball and a wild pitch. Junior Designated Hitter Wyatt Reginato (Cottonwood, Calif./Folsom Lake) came around to score after he walked on a Howard single and the Pack found themselves up 2-1 going into the bottom of the fifth.

Curtis was pulled after a solid five innings pitched, just allowing the lone solo shot by Flores.

A fantastic bullpen effort from senior pitcher Zach Pratt (Belton, Mo./Metropolitan CC), junior Caden English (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield), and senior Nick Perry (Denton, Texas) pitched four innings of shutout ball to secure the victory for the Pack.

CSU Pueblo was able to get some insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Junior center fielder Kade Snoodgrass (Derby, Kan./Neosho County) doubled in a run in the eighth inning to put the Pack up 3-1, and Howard and Quintana both doubled to left in the ninth to drive in a couple of runs put the Pack up 5-1.

Perry pitched two innings of shutout ball to pick up the save for CSU Pueblo, ensuring the victory for the Pack.

The two teams will conclude the two-game series with a 12 p.m. MST first pitch on Friday, Feb. 9 at Lucian-Hamilton Field in Austin. Fans can watch the game on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network.