LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo Baseball used a complete game pitching performance from senior
Nick Perry (Denton, Texas/Richland JC) and a 3-for-4 effort at the plate from senior right fielder
Elijah Borjas (Denver, Colo./Lakewood) en route to earning a 7-5 win over Colorado Christian in the second game of Friday's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader at All-Star Park.
The victory helped the ThunderWolves sweep the doubleheader as they picked up a 9-6 win in Friday's opening game of the twin bill.
With the win, the Pack improves to 15-13 overall and 5-5 in the RMAC, while CCU falls to 6-25 overall and 3-11 in the league. The teams will conclude the weekend RMAC series with another doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
In Friday's nightcap of the doubleheader, the Pack outhit the Cougars, 10-8, along with Borjas going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and 2 RBI, freshman centerfielder
Noah Williams (Carson, Calif./Redondo Union) and fifth-year senior first baseman
Christian Castaneda (El Paso, Texas/Otero JC) each had two hits in the win. The two hits helped Castaneda extend his hit streak to 30 consecutive games dating to last season. Castaneda has hit safely in all 28 games this season.
After neither team scored in the first two innings of the nightcap, the Pack would break up the shutout in the top of the third inning thanks to three hits and an error by the Cougars, which helped the Pack score three runs and take a 3-0 lead. In the inning, senior catcher
Brady Ingalls (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa) reached on an error to open the inning, and moved to second on a single by senior shortstop
Rob Mansour (La Verne, Calif./Cuesta College) after those two players stole second and third base, senior leftfielder walked to load the bases. With the bases loaded, Castaneda hit a single through the left side to score two runs. After Reginato stole third base, Borjas delivered an RBI single to left to give the Pack a 3-0 lead. The Pack eventually loaded the bases again as junior designated hitter
George Andrews (Overland Park, Kan./Coffeyville CC) drew a walk with one out, but CCU starting pitcher Chad Naf got out of the jam as he left the bases loaded.
CCU got one of those runs back in the bottom of the third inning on a lead-off home run by Landry Hamm off of Perry to cut the Pack's lead to 3-1.
CCU, though, tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a 2-run double off the bat of Connor Laeng.
The Pack answered back in the top of the fifth inning thanks to an RBI triple by Andrews and a passed ball by CCU catcher Tanner Rae. Andrews' triple was one of three in the game by the Pack, who has now hit 13 on the season.
Holding a 5-3 lead heading into the seventh inning, the Pack added two insurance runs thanks to an RBI triple by Borjas and an RBI ground out by Andrews. Those two runs pushed the Pack's lead to 7-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, CCU plated two runs thanks to a 2-out, 2-run homer by Mason Hagel-Pitt over the wall in right field to cut the Pack's lead to 7-5. Perry, though, prevented further damage as he forced William Brassil to pop out to second to end the game.
Perry (3-2) tossed seven innings and allowed eight hits and five runs while striking out three and walking two in his 88-pitch outing. The complete game was the second this season for a Pack pitcher.
CCU got eight hits from eight different players and got 2 RBIs each from Hagel-Pitt and Laeng.
Naf (2-4) also pitched a complete game for the Cougars as he allowed 10 hits and seven runs (five earned), while striking out four and walking two.
The Cougars defense committed an error in the game and had two passed balls.
For the game, the Pack left six runners on base, while CCU stranded four runners. The teams combined for six stolen bases in the game as the Pack had four and CCU recorded two.
