PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo baseball squad defeated the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Monday afternoon to take three out of four games in the series.
With the Monday afternoon win, the Pack improve to 14-6 overall on the season and start Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play 3-1. With the loss for UCCS, the Mountain Lions fall to 4-16 overall on the season and 1-3 in RMAC play.
CSU Pueblo won the game 9-8 in walk off fashion as the Pack scored five runs in the ninth, backed by an
Elijah Borjas (Denver, Colo./Lakewood) grand slam that was nuked over the left field wall off UCCS reliever Vander Hodges.
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSU Pueblo had to play catch up the entire game and took their first lead when it mattered in the bottom of the ninth.
UCCS opened the game in the first inning with three runs when Alec Gomez launched a three-run home run to deep left field. Gomez drove in another run in the second inning when he grounded into a fielder's choice RBI to put UCCS up 4-0.
CSU Pueblo cut into the UCCS lead in bottom of the second inning when Borjas scored on a wild pitch. The Pack were able to get another run across when
Brady Ingalls (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa) grounded into a double play to score another run and make the score 4-2.
UCCS extended their lead once again in the third inning when Colton Trudeau singled in a run which was followed up by an Aaron Brakel sac fly to make it 6-2. UCCS was able to get two more runs in the fifth inning when Hayden Iverson singled in a run which was followed by Kit Wigington singling in a run to put the Mountain Lions up 8-2.
CSU Pueblo got a run back in the bottom half of the fifth when
Christian Castaneda (El Paso, Texas/Otero JC) grounded into an RBI groundout. In the seventh inning,
Jeremiah Sanchez (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo West) singled in a run on a hot shot through the right side of the infield.
Trailing 8-4 going into the ninth inning, it was the last chance for the Pack to muster a comeback. Castaneda was able to drive in a run when he singled down the right field line to make it 8-5.
With runners on first and third, Sanchez drew a huge walk to load the bases for Borjas. On the first pitch it was obvious that Borjas was swinging for the fences as he swung and missed on a violent cut. The next pitch Hodges made a mistake throwing Borjas another fastball as the junior belted a no-doubter over the left field fence and was mobbed at home plate to deliver the 9-8 victory.
UP NEXT FOR THE PACK
CSU Pueblo looks to continue their win streak as they travel south to take on New Mexico Highlands in a four-game series starting on Friday.
