PUEBLO, Colo. - The Colorado State University Pueblo baseball team wrapped up its RMAC opening series Saturday afternoon at Rawlings Field, falling in both games of a doubleheader to No. 7 Colorado Mesa as the Mavericks completed the four-game sweep of the ThunderWolves.
Colorado Mesa took game one 5-2 before erupting offensively in the series finale to win 18-8 in seven innings.
With the losses, CSU Pueblo moves to 8-13 overall and 0-4 in RMAC play.
Game One
Colorado Mesa 5, CSU Pueblo 2
The ThunderWolves struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Jeremiah Sanchez doubled into the left-center gap to open the frame, moved to third on a groundout, and later came around to score to give the Pack an early 1-0 lead.
Colorado Mesa answered in the third inning. After a pair of hits put runners on base, the Mavericks plated a run to even the game at 1-1.
The Mavericks took the lead in the fourth inning, scoring again to make it 2-1 Colorado Mesa.
Both pitching staffs settled in through the middle innings before CSU Pueblo broke through again in the sixth inning. Dax Howard crushed a solo home run to tie the game at 2-2.
Colorado Mesa regained control late. The Mavericks plated two runs in the eighth inning to take a 4-2 lead before adding an insurance run in the ninth inning to secure the 5-2 victory.
Sanchez paced the ThunderWolves offensively with two hits, while George Andrews and Kyle Miller also collected base hits.
Frank Flores Jr. made the start on the mound for CSU Pueblo and allowed two runs across four innings before Clayden Brandon and Cole Bloomer combined to finish the game in relief.
Game Two
Colorado Mesa 18, CSU Pueblo 8 (7 innings)
The series finale featured offense early and often, with the ThunderWolves jumping out to a quick start in the bottom of the first inning.
Jeremiah Sanchez opened the frame with a double to left-center. Two batters later, Jason Arriola launched a two-run home run to center field to give the Pack a 2-1 lead. Logan Kelly later delivered an RBI single up the middle to score George Andrews, extending the CSU Pueblo lead to 3-1.
Colorado Mesa responded in the third inning with three runs to take a 4-3 lead.
The Mavericks then broke the game open in the fourth inning, scoring five runs on a series of hits and RBI plays to extend the advantage to 9-3.
CSU Pueblo answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Logan Kelly reached on an error before Taehyung Kim singled and Kyle Miller reached on a bunt attempt to load the bases. Jeremiah Sanchez delivered a three-run double to center field to cut the deficit to 9-6.
Moments later, Jason Arriola doubled to center field to score Sanchez and pull the ThunderWolves within two runs at 9-7.
Colorado Mesa continued to apply offensive pressure in the fifth inning, scoring four runs to stretch the lead to 13-7.
The Mavericks added another run in the sixth inning before erupting again in the seventh inning with four more runs to make it 18-7.
CSU Pueblo added one final run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Logan Kelly singled up the middle to score Yahir Ramirez, but Colorado Mesa closed out the 18-8 victory in the run-rule shortened contest.
Sanchez finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Arriola drove in three runs including his first-inning home run. Kelly added two hits and two RBI for the ThunderWolves.
CSU Pueblo will look to regroup as they continue RMAC play next weekend, as they head north up I-25 to Denver for a four-game RMAC series against Regis University. The series is scheduled to run Friday through Sunday.
