PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo baseball squad split Saturday's double-header at home vs. Montana State University-Billings, winning the first game and dropping the second.

With the 1-1 Saturday outing and series split, the Pack improve to 11-5 on the season, while MSU Billings improves to 6-12 on the season.

The Pack won the first game of the doubleheader, 12-2, and dropped the nightcap, 16-13. CSU Pueblo remains with the best record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with conference play starting next weekend.

GAME ONE
CSU Pueblo dominated from start to finish in Game One as the Pack had five hitters with two or more hits in the contest. The Pack were led by leadoff hitter Kade Snodgrass (Derby, Kan./Neosho County CC) as the center fielder went 3-for-4 in the game with two RBI's.

Senior Christian Castaneda (El Paso, Texas/Otero JC) continued his offensive tear as the outfield slugger went 2-for-4 and drove in four RBI's.

Junior pitcher Travis Farrell (Las Vegas, Nev./Otero JC) pitched a gem as the hard-throwing righty went six strong innings, allowing just one run and five hits.

Castaneda led things off for the Pack as he singled in a run in the first inning. Junior first baseman Brad Stone (Las Vegas, Nev./Southern Nevada) followed that up with a two-run homerun and the Pack led 3-0 after one.

In the second inning, Snodgrass singled in a run to extend the lead to 4-0. Kaden Kirshenbaum knocked in the first run of the game for MSU Billings on a solo homerun in the top of the fourth inning, but the ThunderWolves answered in the bottom half when junior designated hitter Wyatt Reginato (Cottonwood, Calif./Folsom Lake) singled in a run and Castaneda nuked a three-run homer.

CSU Pueblo did not let up leading 8-1, as the fifth inning was good to the Pack. Senior third baseman Kysen Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) doubled in a run to start the scoring. Freshman Logan Kelly (San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Capistrano Valley Christian) proceeded to double in a run and Snodgrass singled in a run. Reginato concluded the scoring barrage with a Sac Fly to put the Pack up 12-1.

The Pack allowed a solo home run in the seventh, and Kade Douglas (Lakewood, Colo./Hill College) proceeded to close out the game at 12-2.

GAME TWO
The Pack fell behind early in the second game and despite rallying late, could not overcome the big deficit.

MSU Billings had a big first inning as the Yellow Jackets scored three runs. Stone scored in the second after a throwing error to cut the lead to 3-1, but the Yellow Jackets scored a run in the third on a CSU Pueblo throwing error.

The Pack made a run in the bottom of the third trailing 4-1. Snodgrass hit a solo homerun, Stone doubled in a couple of runs, and Kelly singled in a run. Jason Arriola (Riverside, Calif./Norco) concluded the big inning with an RBI double to left center and the Pack found themselves up 6-4.

MSU Billings responded with a big fourth inning. Jarrett Elmer hit a two-run homerun to tie the game at 6-6. Bodee Wright doubled down the left field line to score another run and then Payton Flynn hit a sacrifice fly to put MSU Billings up 8-6. The Yellow Jackets were not finished as Cole Ayala polished off the inning with a two-run homer.

Up 10-6 the Yellow Jackets continued their hot hitting in the fifth as Blaszak doubled in a couple of runs to put MSU Billings up 12-6. The Pack got a run back in the bottom half when Kelly doubled in a run to make the score 12-7.

MSU Billings had another big inning in the sixth as Josh Mapel singled in a run, which was followed up by a two-run homer by Elmer to extend the Yellow Jackets lead to 15-7.

The Pack made a late charge in the bottom half of the sixth inning when Howard doubled in a couple of runs and then Kelly bombed a three-run homer to make it 15-12.

MSU Billings knocked in another run in the seventh when Flynn hit a solo homer. Stone doubled in the bottom of the seventh inning and that is all the Pack could muster as they fell 16-13.

UP NEXT FOR THE PACK
CSU Pueblo begins non-conference play next weekend with a four-game series at home against UCCS. The series will be Friday-Sunday and will be broadcast on the RMAC Network beginning at 2 p.m. Friday, March 9, before playing a doubleheader on Saturday, March 10 beginning at 12 p.m. and concluding with a single game on Sunday, March 11 at 12 p.m.