DENVER, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo Baseball split Saturday's RMAC doubleheader on the road at MSU Denver, highlighted by an impressive upset victory in game one over the nationally-ranked RoadRunners.
In the opener, the ThunderWolves (19-19, 11-10 RMAC) delivered one of their most complete performances of the season, using timely hitting and late-inning execution to earn an 11-6 win. CSU Pueblo wasted no time getting on the board as Jake Hixenbaugh led off the game with a solo home run to right field, setting the tone early.
MSU Denver answered and eventually took a 2-1 lead heading into the fifth inning, but the Pack responded with a pivotal rally. After Jason Arriola reached and Jimmy Pelletier moved into scoring position, Dax Howard brought home the tying run with an RBI groundout. Moments later, Hixenbaugh came through again, lacing a two-run double into the gap to give CSU Pueblo a 4-2 advantage.
The ThunderWolves continued to apply pressure in the seventh as Tyler Clementz delivered an RBI single to extend the lead to 5-2. However, the RoadRunners responded with a three-run inning, capitalizing on a hit, an error, and a hit-by-pitch to even the game at 5-5 and shift momentum back to the home side.
That momentum didn't last long.
In the top of the eighth, CSU Pueblo delivered the knockout blow. After a pair of runners reached, Howard stepped to the plate and crushed a three-run home run to right-center, putting the Pack back in front 8-5. The ThunderWolves continued to add on, taking advantage of defensive miscues and situational hitting to push the lead to 11-6.
Offensively, Howard led the way with four RBI, while Hixenbaugh added three RBI and reached base multiple times. Arriola and Pelletier each contributed multi-hit efforts as the Pack totaled 11 hits on the afternoon.
On the mound, Luke Ruby gave CSU Pueblo a solid start, allowing just two runs over six innings while keeping the RoadRunners' offense in check. Cole Bloomer earned the win out of the bullpen, working through a key seventh inning, and Jack Novak closed things out with two scoreless innings to secure the victory.
In game two, MSU Denver responded with a 10-3 win to salvage the split. The RoadRunners jumped out early, plating five runs in the second inning behind a combination of timely hits and power, including a two-run home run that quickly shifted control of the game.
MSU Denver continued to build its lead with a two-run homer in the third and added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to stretch the advantage to 10-2.
CSU Pueblo showed flashes offensively but struggled to sustain rallies. The Pack scored their first run in the second inning when Pelletier came around on an error. Cooper Latino provided a highlight in the fourth with a solo home run, and Devean Alvarez added an RBI single in the seventh, but it wasn't enough to overcome the early deficit.
Despite the loss in game two, the ThunderWolves' performance in the opener stands out as a statement win, as CSU Pueblo handed MSU Denver just its ninth loss of the season and showed it can compete with one of the top teams in the RMAC heading into the final stretch of the regular season. The Pack and Road Runners are back tomorrow for games three and four of the series.
