DENVER, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo baseball squad split Friday's double-header on the road at Regis University in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, dropping game one and winning the second.
Regis won game one 20-6, but the Pack responded in game two, winning 9-2.
With the 1-1 Friday outing the Pack are now 27-20 overall, and 16-14 in the RMAC, while Regis is now 28-19-1, and 19-11 in RMAC play. With the game two victory, the Pack have now clinched a spot in the conference tournament.
GAME ONE
The Pack struck first in game one when
Elijah Borjas (Denver, Colo./Lakewood) singled in a run to put the Pack up 1-0.
Kysen Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) also drove in a run in the first inning with an RBI double to right center and the ThunderWolves took a 2-0 lead after the top of the first.
The Rangers responded in the bottom half as Regis was able to get to
Edwing Corrales (Delicias, Mexico/Otero JC). The Rangers scored their first run on a throwing error, and was able to tie the game 2-2 on a hit by pitch.
With the bases loaded Maxim Fullerton hit a grand slam to break open the game, putting Regis up 6-2. Regis was able to tack on one more run when Peter Goldy hit a solo shot to left field and Regis led 7-2 after one inning.
The Pack were held to a zero in the top of the second. Regis added two more runs in the second inning when Zach Barnao hit a two-run home run over the left field wall.
In the third inning Head Coach
Bobby Applegate brough in
Cameron Saso to replace Corrales. Regis added three more runs in the inning when Clayton Conn singled through the right side. A throwing error by the Pack allowed another run to come home, and Regis now led 11-4. Garrett Rede doubled to right center to add another run for the Rangers, which prompted a 12-4 deficit for the Pack after three innings.
The fourth and fifth innings were clean by both teams as they put up zeroes. Regis officially blew the game wide open in the sixth inning as the Rangers scored seven runs to make the score 20-4 after six innings, putting the Pack on the brink of being run ruled.
CSU Pueblo was able to muster two runs in the top of the seventh before being run ruled. Cole Kinghtley hit a solo home run over the left center wall, and
Brodie Blackford singled in a run to left field. That is all the Pack could get across the board and dropped game one 20-6.
GAME TWO
Ace
Tyler Curtis (Las Vegas, Nev./Southern Idaho) started game two and absolutely dominated, shutting down a Rangers offense who had just scored 20 runs. The senior righty who is arguably the best pitcher in the RMAC was on fire, pitching five innings and allowing just one earned run.
Just like game one, the Pack struck first in game two when Howard hit an RBI groundout to give the Pack a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Regis responded by scoring a run on a fielder's choice (unearned) in the first inning. Regis took the lead in the first when Cam Dalrymple singled in a run through the left side, giving Regis a 2-1 lead.
CSU Pueblo tied the game in the third inning when Borjas hit a sacrifice fly to center field, and then exploded for six runs in the sixth inning to regain the lead.
Brady Ingalls (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa) put the Pack ahead in the sixth when he ripped a hanging slider to center field.
Rob Mansour (LaVerne, Calif./Cuesta College) gave the ThunderWolves some huge insurance runs when he ripped a single to center field, scoring two runs and giving the Pack a 5-2 lead.
Up 5-2, the Pack poured it on the Rangers when Borjas hit an RBI groundout to tack on another run.
Kade Snodgrass (Derby, Kan./Neosho County CC) delivered the final blow in the sixth when he singled to left field, scoring two more runs.
CSU Pueblo scored one more run in the seventh inning, scoring on a wild pitch.
Jake Olguin-Pacheco (Denver, Colo./Horizon) and
Jacob Petersheim (Broadway, Va./Broadway) pitched two strong innings in the sixth and seventh to close out the game.
