PUEBLO, Colo. (April 7, 2025) - The Colorado State University Pueblo softball team earned a hard-fought doubleheader sweep over UCCS on Monday, winning the last two games 9-8 and 8-4, of a four-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) series with the Mountain Lions.

With the series sweep and with three weeks left in the regular season, CSU Pueblo (24-15, 23-9) holds on to the No. 4 position in the RMAC Standings and are three games back in the loss column behind Colorado Christian, the Cougars are currently 26-6 in RMAC play. Colorado Mesa is first in the standings at 27-5 and MSU Denver sits in second with a 26-5 record.

In Monday's twin bill, timely hitting and big scoring innings were the headline for the ThunderWolves as they had to come-from-behind in both games.

Game One recap
McKenna James (Jr., Windsor, Colo.) led the way both at the plate and in the circle. She tallied two hits on offense and tossed a complete game, picking up her 12th win of the season despite surrendering eight runs on 12 hits.

The ThunderWolves saw four different players contribute at least one hit, with Delaney Barela (5th., Pueblo, Colo.) driving in a pair of runs to help CSU Pueblo.

UCCS scored an unearned run in the T2 before the Pack went back on offense and plated two runs after a hit by pitch with the bases loaded and a foul out SAC fly, gave the Pack a 2-0 lead.

The visitors went ahead during their next at bat with two runs on three hits in the inning.

The ThunderWolves tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth on a beautifully executed SAC bunt laid down by Barela scored the tying run.

UCCS jumped ahead by one in the T5 before the Pack went on a mini tear in the home half of the fifth and scored three runs on a Cali Cole (Fr., Merced, Calif.) RBI-single and 2-run single from James and took a 6-4 lead going to the sixth.

The Mountain Lions scored one run while the ThunderWolves responded with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a solo home run hit by Madelyn Huerta (Jr., Azusa, Calif.) and throwing error on the defense allowed two more runs to cross as the Pack built a 9-5 lead heading to the final inning.

In the seventh, UCCS scored three runs on four hits and with the tying run in scoring position, James retired the final batter with a fly out to right.

Game Two recap
The ThunderWolves carried their momentum into the series finale, where Mia Sanchez (Fr., Los Angeles, Calif.) delivered a strong outing from the circle. Sanchez went the distance, allowing four runs in the first two innings on six hits before settling down in the circle.

At the plate, six different CSU Pueblo players recorded hits, while leadoff hitter Taylor Brower (Jr., Vacaville, Calif.) sparked the offense with two RBI.

After going down by four runs through two innings, CSU Pueblo bounced back and scored six runs in the fourth. 

The inning was highlighted by a pair of SAC fly outs, a walk with the bases loaded and back-to-back RBI doubles.

Sanchez finished with four strikeouts and gave up four walks and improved her record to 9-4 on the season.

On Deck
With the sweep, CSU Pueblo continues its strong run in RMAC play. Up next, the ThunderWolves will head north and take on MSU Denver beginning Friday in the Mile High City.