PUEBLO, Colo. - The Colorado State University Pueblo ThunderWolves split a Thursday doubleheader against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival MSU Denver in an offensive showcase at Rawlings Field. Game one was a nine-inning slugfest that saw the ThunderWolves fall 21-15, while game two was a seven-inning battle that ended in CSU Pueblo's favor, 17-12.
Game One Recap: MSU Denver 21, CSU Pueblo 15
The opener was a wild, back-and-forth shootout that featured 40 total hits—20 from each team. Despite a strong offensive performance, the ThunderWolves couldn't overcome a massive 12-run fourth inning by the Roadrunners.
CSU Pueblo struck first with an RBI single from Cody Macias in the first, but MSU Denver answered with four in the third. The ThunderWolves tied things up 4-4 in the bottom half thanks to a Christian Castaneda two-run homer and a Logan Kelly RBI double.
The game spiraled in the fourth as MSU Denver erupted for 11 runs and added another in the fifth to lead 16-4. But the ThunderWolves clawed back, scoring seven in the fifth—highlighted by a grand slam from Noah Williams—to cut it to 16-11. Castaneda added his second homer of the game in the sixth, a two-run shot, but MSU Denver stayed a step ahead with solo shots and a steady stream of runs. CSU Pueblo fought hard to the end, but fell short as the Roadrunners added one more in the ninth to seal it.
Nolan Livesy picked up the win for MSU Denver (8-1), while Jacob Petersheim took the loss (4-2).
Game Two Recap: CSU Pueblo 17, MSU Denver 12
After a rough start in the nightcap—trailing 9-0 in the top of the first—the ThunderWolves flipped the script with a resilient comeback.
CSU Pueblo chipped away early, scoring twice in the first and two more in the second. A five-run third tied the game at 9-9, fueled by RBI hits from Jason Arriola, Brady Ingalls, Kade Snodgrass, and a fielder's choice by Noah Williams.
The ThunderWolves broke it open in the fourth, scoring five more, highlighted by Snodgrass's two-run double and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Castaneda. They added two in the fifth and one in the sixth to extend the lead to 17-9.
MSU Denver mounted a final push with three runs in the seventh, but reliever Jake Olguin-Pacheco held firm, going six innings in relief to earn the win. Alex Oliver got the final out to secure the victory.
CSU Pueblo improved to 24-16 overall and 14-8 in RMAC play, while MSU Denver moved to 24-16 and 16-6.
Up Next:
The ThunderWolves and Roadrunners will close the series with another doubleheader on Friday—game one going nine innings, followed by a seven-inning second game beginning at 11 a.m. Expect more fireworks as these two high-powered offenses clash again.
