GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (May 8, 2024) - The Colorado State University Pueblo baseball team dropped the opening game of the 2024 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament, falling 5-3 against No. 19 and top seed Colorado Mesa on Wednesday at The Diamond at the Bus Bergman Sports Complex.

The ThunderWolves collected nine hits in the game and were led by Joseph Quintana (Jr., Golden, Colo.) who went 2-for-4 at the plate including a home run and two RBI.

Rob Mansour (Jr., LaVerne, Calif.) recorded a RBI single in the ninth for the Pack.

2024 RMAC Pitcher of the Year, Tyler Curtis (Sr,. Las Vegas, Nev.) tossed 7.2 innings and allowed five runs and three earned. Curtis struck out three batters and gave up one walk and ten hits on the mound.

The Pack left 11 runners on base and struck out 13 times against CMU pitching, second highest total this season.

Game recap
In the opening frame, CSU Pueblo loaded the bases with a single, walk and hit by pitch but was unable to capitalize and a strikeout ended the Pack's scoring threat to start.

During the bottom of the first, Colorado Mesa scored two runs on two hits including an error against the Pack to take an early 2-0 lead.

CSU Pueblo got on the board in the next at bat in the second on a solo home run hit by Quintana to start the inning and cut the lead in half.

CMU tacked on single runs in the second and third on a pair of extra-base hits before the Pack got back on offense in the fourth was able to score the second run of the game.

Trailing 4-1, back-to-back doubles and a single to start the fourth for the ThunderWolves brought home another run and cut the deficit in half again.

With two runners still on base and no outs, two strikeouts and a fielder's choice ground out ended another scoring opportunity.

The Mavericks added another run in the bottom of fourth and would hold the 5-2 lead through the middle innings.

Over the next four innings, Curtis and Co. allowed just three hits and did not allow a Maverick to reach third base before a pitching chance came with two outs in the eighth. 

Jake Olguin-Pacheco (So., Denver, Colo.) came on in relief and retired the only batter he faced.

In the last at-bat for the Pack, Jeremiah Sanchez (So., Pueblo, Colo.) pinch hit to start the inning and hit a double and came around to score in the next at-bat, a RBI-single from Mansour.

Mansour advanced to second on a wild pitch and was left stranded following two strikeouts and ground out ended the game 5-3 in favor of the Mavericks.

With the loss, Curtis drops to 9-3 on the year.

On Deck
CSU Pueblo (28-22) will return to action tomorrow and play in an elimination game starting at 11 a.m. and the opponent is still to be determined.

-PACK-