ALAMOSA, Colo. (April 14, 2024) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team completed a critical four-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series sweep of Adams State and won the final two games in convincing, run-rule fashion, 14-0 (6 inn.) and 12-0 (5 inn.), respectively on Sunday at ASU Softball Field.

With the sweep, CSU Pueblo maintains its stronghold on the sixth and final spot in the upcoming RMAC Tournament. 

On the day, Pack pitchers McKenna James (So., Windsor, Colo.) and Marissa Robertson (So., Rocklin, Calif.) each picked up their second wins of the weekend in the circle. Jacelynn Trujillo (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) also pitched one inning of relief in game one.

At the plate, Emma Case (Fr., Loveland, Colo.) led the team with six hits in nine plate appearances along with five RBI collected. Caitlyn Cole (So., Merced, Calif.) recorded four hits including a grand slam home run and five RBI.

Game one recap
In the first game, CSU Pueblo quickly put up four runs in the first inning on three hits. The Pack scored their runs on a RBI-single from Cole and a hit by pitch against Madelyn Huerta (So., Azusa, Calif.) and walk to Isabella Hewitt (Fr., Firestone, Colo.), both with the bases loaded and a wild pitch in the inning, accounted for all the runs for the ThunderWolves.

Adams State loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second before James struck out the next two batters while swinging before a fielder's choice ground out ended the threat.

CSU Pueblo added another run in the third on a double down the left field line hit by James, scoring Huerta who reached after getting hit by pitch for a second time in the game.

In the fourth, the Pack tacked on another run after Raelynn Rogers (Jr., Surprise, Ariz.) started the inning with a single up the middle and she would come around to score on a single on the infield from Case to put the ThunderWolves ahead 6-0 going to the home half of the fourth inning.

James continued to stymie the Grizzlies offense and she maintained the shutout through five innings. In the top of the sixth, CSU Pueblo erupted for eight runs on six hits along with two errors on the defense to take a commanding lead.

In the frame, three RBI-hits were recorded and the big hit came from Case who hit a bases loaded double to center field, scoring all three runners.

Leading 14-0, Trujillo came on to pitch the sixth and she needed only ten pitches to finish the game, 14-0 in favor of the Pack.

With the win, James improves her record to 8-14 this season.

Game two recap
In the finale, Robertson scattered four hits over five innings and another eight-run inning by the Pack proved to be all that was needed to complete the sweep. 

CSU Pueblo took an early 1-0 lead in the second when Robertson helped herself at the plate and delivered an RBI-single to left.

Robertson continued her lights out performance and before the Pack once again exploded for a big scoring inning.

In the fourth, the Pack totaled eight runs on eight hits all with two outs and the big hit of the inning being a grand slam home run hit by Cole. Robertson collected two more RBI and Tori Cordova (Jr., Pueblo West, Colo.) was called to pinch run and she would come around to score the seventh run of the inning before an RBI-single from Huerta finished the scoring.

Ahead 9-0 entering the fifth inning, the ThunderWolves plated three more runs on two hits and two more defensive errors and took a 12-0 lead to the home half of the inning.

In the last at-bat for the Grizzlies, Robertson gave up a lead-off single before getting two strikeouts and a ground out to finish the game and series.

Robertson moves her record to 8-8 on the year.

On deck
CSU Pueblo (20-27, 18-18 RMAC) will finish its home portion of the schedule next week and host UCCS in a four-game series starting Friday at Rawlings Softball Complex.