GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (May 2, 2024) - The 6-seed Colorado State University Pueblo softball team dropped a heartbreaking 6-5 (8 inn.) game against 3-seed MSU Denver in a first round match-up played at CMU Softball Field.

With the loss, CSU Pueblo will next hit the diamond on Friday at 10 a.m. with their opponent still to be determined. 

Competing in their first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament since 2019, the Pack faced a Roadrunners squad whom they split a 4-game series in March at Rawlings Softball Complex.

In the game, the ThunderWolves tallied six hits, led by Emma Case (Fr., Loveland, Colo.) who went 2-for-3 at the plate and Madelyn Huerta (So., Azusa, Calif.) who finished with three RBI.

The ThunderWolves got on the board right away in the first inning and scored two runs after taking advantage of an error on the defense and later was able to execute a sac bunt to produce the second run in the inning.

MSU Denver responded in their first at bat and scored two runs on three hits. Between innings two and five, both teams managed four hits and the game quickly turned into a pitcher's dual between the Pack's McKenna James (So., Windsor, Colo.) and the Roadrunners' Maddy Wilson.

The Pack's next best scoring chance came in the sixth inning when Caitlyn Cole (So., Merced, Calif.) singled up the middle and would reach third base with two outs before a strikeout swinging ended the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, James retired MSU Denver in order to enter the seventh inning knotted at 2-2.

A 1-2-3 top of the seventh for CSU Pueblo put the Pack back out on defense and they were able to overcome a two-out double and left the runner stranded with a ground out on the infield to send the game to extra-innings.

In the top of the eighth, Delaney Barela (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) crushed a double to left center field on a 1-0 count to set up the ThunderWolves with a runner in scoring position.

The next batter, Raelynn Rogers (Jr., Surprise, Ariz.) laid down a perfect sac bunt, allowing Barela to advance to third with one out.

The Mavericks decided to throw an unintentional-intentional walk to Cole to put runners at the corners for Case. 

Case produced another nice bunt in front of the pitcher's circle and brought in Cole from third and Case reached first base safely and keep two Pack runners on base.

After another sac bunt put both runners in scoring position, Huerta was next up to the plate and she belted a 2-run double to right center field to put the ThunderWolves ahead 5-2 before the Roadrunners got out of the inning in the next at-bat.

In the bottom of the eighth and the Pack ahead by three runs, James went out into the circle and the first three batters would record hits including a RBI-single to get MSU Denver to within two runs and caused Pack Head Coach Bianca Duran to make a pitching change.

James finished her day with 7.0 innings of work and allowed five runs on 10 hits and she had one strikeout before Marissa Robertson (So., Rocklin, Calif.) was called to pitch in relief.

Robertson inherited the two runners in scoring position and against her first batter, gave up a two-run double to tie the game at 5-5 and have the winning run into scoring position still with no outs.

Robertson was able to strikeout the next two batters, one looking and the other swinging. 

The Roadrunners' Miki Berg was next to the plate and she hit the first pitch thrown deep into the hole between short stop and third base that was fielded and the throw attempt was short and on the throw, the runner from second advanced and went torwards the plate when the ball was not fielded cleanly and scored the winning run for the Roadrunners.

Robertson takes the loss and finished her day with 0.2 innings pitched and gave up one run on two hits.

On Deck
CSU Pueblo awaits their next opponent and it will be the loser between tournament-host Colorado Mesa and 5 seed Regis.