IRVINE, Calif. (January 31, 2025) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team opened the 2025 season on the road Friday at the UCI Kickoff Classic, hosted by University of California Irvine, and dropped the first two games of the weekend. The Pack lost 10-2 (5 inn.) against San Francisco State in the season opener and fell 9-0 (6 inn.) to Hawai'i Pacific in the second game of the day.

For the day, Caitlyn Cole (Jr., Merced, Calif.) smashed her first home run of the season and collected three hits and two RBI. Raelynn Rogers (Sr., Surprise, Ariz.) went 2-for-3 at the plate in game two.

SF State Recap
In the first game, CSU Pueblo got a runner on base off a single from Cole and was left stranded in the first inning. SFSU scored the first one of the game in the bottom half and took advantage of a lead-off walk before a strikeout ended the inning.

The ThunderWolves were retired in order in each of the next two innings and in that span the Gators added three more runs and built a 4-run lead through three innings.

In the fourth, CSU Pueblo got on the board after a single from Delaney Barela (5th yr., Pueblo, Colo.) was followed up with a 2-run home run down the right field line by Cole, cutting the lead in half.

In the bottom half, the Gators scored two runs and resulted in a pitching change for the Pack. Marissa Robertson (Jr., Rocklin, Calif.) came on in relief during the fourth and would finish in the circle.

Another 1-2-3 top of the fifth for the Pack put SFSU back on offense and they would tack on four more runs and the game ended with two outs by a 10-2 (5 inn.) in a 8-run rule Pack loss.

James was tagged with the loss and finished with 3.2 IP, 6 runs, two walks and one strikeout.

Robertson finished with 1.2 IP and gave up four runs on two hits and allowed four walks and had two strikeouts.

Hawai'i Pacific Recap
The nightcap against HPU, the ThunderWolves were held to three hits and they came from Rogers and Cole and the team struck out three times.

In the circle, Lucy Carney (Sr., Lakewood, Colo.) gave up eight runs on nine hits and finished with one walk and one strikeout in 5.1 innings.

Mia Sanchez (Fr., Los Angeles, Calif.) made her collegiate debut and tossed 0.2 innings and allowed one run and two hits.

The Sharks scored two runs in the second and another run in the third and carried the shutout into the fifth inning where they tacked on two more runs and a 5-0 lead through five.

Hawai'i Pacific would end the game after scoring four more runs in the sixth and reached the 8-run rule threshold in the 9-0 Pack defeat.

Up Next
CSU Pueblo (0-2) continues play at the UCI Kickoff Classic and returns to the diamond Saturday for two more games. The Pack face-off against Cal State San Bernardino starting at Noon (MT) and will finish the day against tournament host, UC Irvine in their stadium under the lights starting at 7:30 p.m. (MT).