PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo baseball concluded the home portion of its 2024 schedule here Sunday afternoon as the ThunderWolves earned an 8-1 Senior Day victory over Adams State in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play at Rawlings Field.
 
Prior to Sunday's series finale against the Grizzlies, the Pack honored its five-member senior class in a pregame ceremony. This year's seniors that were recognized and honored on Sunday were pitcher Edwing Corrales (Delicias, Mexico/Otero JC), pitcher Tyler Curtis (Las Vegas, Nev./Southern Idaho), infielder Cole Knightley (Solvang, Calif./Santa Ynez), pitcher Zach Pratt (Belton, Mo./Metropolitan CC) and pitcher Dylan Weaver (Fruita, Colo./Highland CC).
 
With Sunday's win, the Pack took three of four games in the series from the Grizzlies and improved its record to 26-19 overall and 15-13 in the RMAC, while Adams State fell to 19-23 overall and 14-10 in the league. Despite the three wins over the weekend, the Pack remain in sixth place in the RMAC standings with two weeks left in the regular season. The top six teams at the end of the regular season earn a spot in the RMAC Tournament, which is schedule for May 8-12 at the home field of the regular season champion.
 
In Sunday's win, the Pack used solid starting pitcher from Corrales and a four-inning relief gem from junior Cameron Saso (McKinleyville, Calif./Folsom Lake), along with a defense that turned four double plays, which is tied for second-most in a game in school history. The school record for double plays is five, which was set in 2017 against New Mexico Highlands. The last time prior to Sunday's game that the Pack turned four double plays in a game came last season against UCCS.
 
The Pack offense, which finished with 11 hits in the game, was paced by a 3-for-4 effort at the plate with 2 runs scored by junior catcher Brady Ingalls (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa), while Knightley had 3 RBI in the win. Junior rightfielder Elijah Borjas (Denver, Colo./Lakewood) and junior first baseman Kysen Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) each had two hits on the day.  
 
Corrales and Saso got all the offense they needed in the bottom of the second inning thanks to an RBI single by junior second baseman Kade Snodgrass (Derby, Kan./Neosho County CC), an RBI double by Ingalls and an RBI on a sacrifice bunt by Knightley off ASU starting hurler Phil Carter. The Pack led 3-0 after two innings of play.
 
The Pack pushed its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third thanks to a one-out solo home run to left off the bat of Borjas. The homer by Borjas' was his 10th of the season and 59th of the season for the Pack. The 59 homers are seventh-most in single season in program history.
 
CSU Pueblo added three more runs in the fourth thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles by Knightley and sophomore designated hitter Jeremiah Sanchez (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo West) and an RBI single later in the inning by Borjas. Borjas' single gave the Pack 7-0 lead.
 
Corrales entered the sixth inning having allowed just two hits and only four base runners before running into trouble in the sixth inning. In the inning, Christian Altamirano led off with a single, moved to third on a single by Ayden Tauscher and then Corrales loaded the bases after hitting Mike Bathauer with a pitch. The next hitter, Seth Reker, delivered an RBI single to right that broke up Corrales' shutout bid and chased the right-hander from the game. Saso was then summoned from the bullpen with runners on second and third and no outs, but Saso got out of the jam by striking out Joseph Raker and then forcing Matt Bathauer to line into a double play at second base to end the inning.
 
The Pack, though, got that run back in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by Knightley that scored Ingalls from third base after he led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a passed ball. The RBI by Knightley gave the Pack an 8-1 lead.
 
Saso would load the bases in the top of the seventh thanks to two singles and a hit batsman but would leave the bases loaded after forcing Mike Bathauer to ground out to end the inning.
 
In the eighth inning, Saso allowed back-to-back one out singles to put two runners on base, but he got out of the jam by inducing Jack Dere to hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
 
The Grizzlies would put two runners on base in the ninth with one of those two runners being erased on a double play, before Saso preserved his first save of the season by ending the game on a ground out to first by Tauscher.
 
Corrales (4-1) picked up the win as he tossed five-plus innings and allowed five hits and one run, while walking one and striking out a career-high tying six. Saso pitched the final four innings and allowed five hit and no runs, while striking out two and walking none.
 
ASU finished the game with 10 hits, including two each from Altamirano and Tauscher.
 
Carter (2-5) took the loss on the mound for the Grizzlies as he tossed four innings and allowed 10 hits and seven runs, while striking out two and walking none. Will Cohen pitched the final four innings and allowed one hit and one run, while walking two and striking out three.
 
The Grizzles left 10 runners on base, while the Pack stranded four and committed the lone error in the game.
 
After taking next weekend off, the Pack will return to action on May 3-4 as they close out the regular season with back-to-back RMAC doubleheaders in Denver, Colo., against Regis. The doubleheaders will start each day at 12 p.m.