DENVER, Colo. — A three-run eighth inning followed by a bases-loaded wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth proved to be the difference as Colorado State University Pueblo dropped a 5-4 decision to Regis in Sunday's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series finale at Regis Baseball Field.
With the loss, the ThunderWolves split the four-game series with Regis and fell to 10-15 overall and 2-6 in the RMAC, while Regis improved to 11-18-1 overall and 2-9-1 in the league. The Pack is currently sitting in sixth place in the RMAC standings after three weeks of league play.
In Sunday's series finale, the Pack carried a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth after junior third baseman
Jimmy Pelletier (Lavel, Quebec/University of San Francisco) hit a solo homer in the seventh inning, but Regis rallied to tie the game in the eighth thanks to an RBI single by Ayden Harrison and a 2-RBI single from Mason Grube and won the game in the bottom of the ninth as Linus Fleek scored on wild pitch from sophomore
Dax Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest), who replaced junior
Jack Novak (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Thunder Ridge) after he put two runners on base with one out in the ninth.
The Pack struck first in the second inning when senior third baseman
Taehyung Kim (Marana, Ariz./St. Cloud State) plated Howard with an RBI ground out. The Pack added to its lead in the sixth as senior second baseman
Devean Alvarez (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Chaffey College) delivered an RBI double to score junior centerfielder
Logan Kelly (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley Christian), before later crossing the plate on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
Pelletier's solo homer in the seventh gave the Pack a 4-1 lead to put them in control heading into the final two innings.
Regis responded in the eighth as they used two walks, a wild pitch, a hit by a pitch, and those singles by Harrison and Grube to plate three runs and tie the game at 4-4.
In the top of the ninth, the Pack was retired to set up the bottom of the ninth for the Rangers. In the bottom of the ninth, Regis loaded the bases thanks to two hit by pitches, a single, and that bases-loaded wild pitch by Howard that scored Fleek with the game-winning run with one out.
Offensively, the Pack was led by Kelly and Alvarez, who each recorded two hits. Alvarez added an RBI and a run scored, while Pelletier's home run accounted for the Pack's fourth and final extra-base hit of the game. The Pack tallied eight hits in the game.
Sophomore
Tyler Clementz (Gilbert, Ariz./Basha) turned in a strong start on the mound as he tossed 7.1 innings and allowed six hits and four runs, while striking out five and walking three. Novak (0-5) tossed 0.2 innings and was charged with the loss after surrendering the game-winning run in relief.
Regis finished the game with eight hits as Bobo Iandoli was 2-for-3 at the plate, while George Smith and Grube were each 2-for-4 at the plate for the Rangers.
Sam Fisher (2-1) took the win for Regis on the mound as he tossed 2.2 innings in relief and allowed one hit and two strikeouts. Grant Belcher started for the Rangers and lasted five-plus innings, and allowed six hits and three runs while walking two and fanning two.
Neither team committed an error, and the two teams combined to leave 11 runners on base as the Pack stranded four and Regis left seven on base.
The Pack will look to get back on track next weekend (March 27-29) as they host Colorado Christian for a four-game series in Rawlings Field. The series will begin with a single nine-inning game on Friday, March 27 at 2 p.m., before a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday, March 28, and then conclude the series with a nine-inning game on Sunday, March 29, beginning at noon.
