PUEBLO, Colo. (April 6, 2024) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team began its final month of the regular season and welcomed Colorado School of Mines to town and earned a split of the first two games of a four-game set at Rawlings Softball Complex.

Battling high winds of more than 40 mph throughout the day, CSU Pueblo recorded 17 hits in the twin bill and was led by a trio of ThunderWolf players. Caitlyn Cole (So., Merced, Calif.), Madelyn Huerta (So., Azusa, Calif.) and Delaney Barela (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) each totaled three hits.

Barela along with Ashley Tosh (Jr., Fremont, Calif.) hit home runs on Saturday.

In the pitcher's circle, McKenna James (So., Windsor, Colo.) pitched a strong game one and gave up one run and six hits and seven strikeouts. In game two, Marissa Robertson (So., Rocklin, Calif.) picked up the win after throwing a complete game and allowed five runs and one earned to improve her record to 5-8 on the year.

Game one recap
The series opener quickly turned into a pitcher's dual between James and Sadriena Rodriguez from Mines. The duo both went the distance and pitched a shutout into the fifth inning.

Mines scored the first run with two outs in the fifth on three straight singles hit to go ahead 1-0.

The Pack responded in the bottom half when Barela swung at the first pitch she seen and hit a laser over the scoreboard in left and even the score at 1-1.

In the sixth, James pitched into a jam after giving up two walks in the inning and the runners would get into scoring position before James fanned the seventh batter of the game to get the ThunderWolves back in the dugout.

The Pack's next best scoring chance came in the sixth on a double hit by Isabella Hewitt (So., Firestone, Colo.) and was left stranded.

Both teams recorded a hit in the seventh before the game went into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, the Orediggers went ahead 2-1 with a lead-off home run hit by Cassidy Chvatal.

In their last at-bat in the bottom half, CSU Pueblo managed one base runner before a strike out ended the game in favor of CSM.

With the loss, James drops to 6-13 this season.

Game two recap
In the nightcap, the Pack scored a run in the first inning and later erupted for a five-run sixth inning behind a nice outing in the circle from Robertson.

Mines went ahead 1-0 in the first after scoring on a defensive error against the Pack.

The home team bounced back in their first at-bat and tied the game with a RBI-single hit by Emma Case (Fr., Loveland, Colo.), scoring a speedy Raelynn Rogers (Jr., Surprise, Ariz.) from first base.

The Orediggers went ahead 5-1 with two runs in each of the third and fourth innings and Robertson continued to do her part in keeping the score in striking distance.

Over the middle innings, the Pack managed three base runners and remained down by four entering the home half of the sixth.

Huerta started the offense with a triple down the right field line and she would score on the next play, an error on the infield. 

Tosh was next to the plate and she crushed the first pitch over the wall in left to get the Pack to within a 5-4 deficit.

Following a pitching change and with one out, Barela singled up the middle and she came around to score in the next at-bat, a RBI-double from Cole to left center field, tying the game at 5-5.

After a fielder's choice by CSM to record the second out, the windy conditions played a big role on the next play when Case hit a fly ball towards center field and the defender had to sprint towards the infield and a basket catch attempt failed as the ball dropped out of the glove of the center fielder and give the Pack a 6-5 lead.

The Orediggers finally got out of the inning with a foul out.

Leading by one run, Robertson gave up two hits in the seventh and the tying run reached third base before Robertson struck out the side for her seventh of the game.

On deck
CSU Pueblo (15-26, 13-17 RMAC) and Mines will finish the four-game set with two more game scheduled on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. at Rawlings Softball Complex.