AZUSA, Calif. (February 3, 2025) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team picked up its first win of the season in the first game of a doubleheader and split the twin bill on Monday at Azusa Pacific at Cougar Softball Complex. 

On the day, Caitlyn Cole (Jr., Merced, Calif.) went 3-for-6 at the plate with one double and a walk. Three others collected two hits for the Pack.

In the circle, Mia Sanchez (Fr., Los Angeles, Calif.) earned her first win of her career in a complete game performance. She gave up five runs and scattered nine hits and two strikeouts.

Game One Recap
In the opener, the ThunderWolves matched a season-high eight hits and scored seven runs including a four-run fourth inning to get the their first win of the season.

Starting the game, CSU Pueblo scored two runs in the first inning when Cali Cole (Fr., Merced, Calif.) led off the game with a walk and got into scoring position in the next at bat. She would score two batters later thanks to a defensive error by Azusa.

Another run crossed in the first inning on a wild pitch to give the Pack a 2-0 lead.

CSU Pueblo added another run in the second after Raelynn Rogers (Sr., Surprise, Ariz.) reached on a fielder's choice and put runners on the corners with two outs.

In the next at bat, Rogers ran off to steal second base and slowed down and allowed Taylor Brower (Jr., Vacaville, Calif.) to cross the plate before being tagged out to end the inning.

Azusa cut the lead to two runs after plating three runs in the bottom of the third and the ThunderWolves responded in their next at bat with four runs.

In the inning, Brower hit a one-out double and later scored on another defensive error. 

Madelyn Huerta (Jr., Azusa, Cailf.) helped to double the lead for the Pack after an RBI-double gave the ThunderWolves a 6-3 advantage.

After a pitching change, Emma Case (So., Loveland, Colo.) hit an RBI single before getting thrown out at second base, trying to stretch the hit into a double.

APU cut the lead in half during their next at bat with a two-run home run in the B4.

Over the final three innings, Sanchez limited the Cougars to just one hit that came in the seventh inning and with two outs, a line drive on the infield resulted in a game-ending double play for the Pack.

Game Two Recap
In the finale, McKenna James (Jr., Windsor, Colo.) tossed a gem in a scoreless extra-innings pitcher's dual against APU's Mia Castillo. 

In the outing, James gave up three hits and one run in 7.1 IP, while Castillo went 8.0 innings and gave up four hits.

The ThunderWolves had four players record singles and as a team, left three runners stranded.

Defensively, James and Co, kept the Cougars off the board despite the home team getting two runners in scoring position and only one out. A line out to short and a strikeout looking, ended the threat.

After the second, James settled and retired APU in order from the third inning until extra innings.

In that same span, the ThunderWolves were retired in order in all but the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, Brower singled through the right side and in the seventh, Caitlyn Cole hit a single up the middle but both players were left stranded.

In the extra frame, the game went to the International Rule and the ThunderWolves started the inning with a runner on second base. That runner was erased in the first at bat on a fielder's choice hit to short and she elected to get the lead runner out at third.

The inning ended after a double play ground out started in the circle.

For APU in the bottom half, a SAC bunt pushed the runner from second base to just 60 feet away at third base and the next hitter smacked a single down the right field line that landed just inside fair territory, scoring the winning run for the Cougars.

James took the loss and falls to 0-3 on the year.

CSU Pueblo (1-6) will return to action Feb. 15 and begin Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play at home against Chadron State.