PUEBLO, Colo. (March 22, 2025) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team pushed its win streak to eight in a row following a doubleheader sweep over New Mexico Highlands in the first two of a four-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) series on Saturday at Rawlings Softball Complex.

The Pack used a five-run third inning in game one to come away with a 5-2 win and in the nightcap, a combined pitching performance helped guide the Pack to a 8-7 win.

On the day, Taylor Brower (Jr., Vacaville, Calif.) went 5-for-8 at the plate with a walk and three runs and an RBI while in the lead-off spot. In the circle, McKenna James (Jr., Windsor, Colo.) pitched a CG and finished with ten strikeouts and improved her record to 9-5 on the season. In the nightcap, Marissa Robertson (Jr., Rocklin, Calif.) and Lucy Carney (Sr., Lakewood, Colo.) pitched a combined performance and helped to shut the door in a 8-7 victory.

Game One recap
Both teams came out of the gate slow and each team managed one hit in the first two innings before CSU Pueblo went to bat in the bottom of the third. In the inning, back-to-back walks were immediately rewarded in the next couple of at bats, with Delaney Barela (5th., Pueblo, Colo.), Madelyn Huerta (Jr., Azusa, Calif.) and Caitlyn Cole (Jr., Merced, Calif.) each getting RBI hits.

Later in the third, Darleen Falcon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Calif.) laid down a SAC bunt, allowing another run to cross.

Holding the five-run lead, James retired the Cowgirls in the fourth before NMHU scored two runs and avoided the shutout in the sixth before James closed the game with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

Game Two recap
In the second game of the day, CSU Pueblo and NMHU battled high winds throughout the afternoon.

Offensively, Brower led all players with three hits along with two base hits recorded each from Falcon and Cali Cole (Fr., Merced, Calif.).

CSU Pueblo jumped ahead early with three runs in the first following aggressive base running scored the first run and back-to-back RBI hits from Falcon and Cali Cole gave the Pack a three-run cushion.

In the Pack's next at bat, they put up two more runs on a RBI-double from Brower and a defensive error gave the Pack another run.

NMHU got on the board in the T3 with a run on one hit and one defensive error.

CSU Pueblo tacked on two more runs in the B4 on a stolen base home Raelynn Rogers (Sr., Surprise, Ariz.) and another RBI-single from Falcon gave the Pack a 7-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Huerta hit a RBI SAC fly and gave the Pack a seven-run cushion.

In the T6, the Cowgirls scored five runs on three hits and cut the lead down to 7-6 before Robertson was able to retire the side.

A quick sixth inning for the Pack set up a seventh inning that had Carney make an appearance in the circle and after getting the first batters out, the Cowgirls managed to get runners on base and with two runners on, Jazymyn Griego hit a RBI-single and get NMHU to within one run.

With the tying run in scoring position, Carney struck out the last batter after an eight-pitch at bat and sealed the 8-7 win for the ThunderWolves.

Robertson improves to 2-3 on the year, while Carney earns his first save of the season.

Up Next
CSU Pueblo (17-12, 16-6 RMAC) will finish the series with two more games on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. at Rawlings Softball Complex.