PUEBLO, Colo. (May 2, 2026) - In a high-stakes finale to the regular season, the Colorado State University Pueblo softball team showcased grit and elite pitching to earn a split against No. 3 Colorado Christian on Saturday at Rawlings Softball Complex. The ThunderWolves shutout the Cougars in the opening game before falling in the series finale, securing a boost of momentum heading into the postseason.
Game One: Colorado Christian 0, CSU Pueblo 1
The opener on Saturday was a classic pitcher's duel that saw CSU Pueblo starter
McKenna James (Sr., Windsor, Colo.) outlast the Cougars' Felesha LePenske in a 1-0 victory.
James was dominant again in the circle and tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits while striking out four.
Huerta's solo shot with two outs in the sixth inning proved the difference maker for the ThunderWolves.
Despite a couple of defensive errors, the Pack defense held firm, stranding five CCU runners.
Taylor Brower (Sr., Vacaville, Calif.) added a double earlier in the game, but it was Huerta's late-inning heroics that secured the win.
James improves her record to 19-9 on the year.
Game Two: Colorado Christian 11, CSU Pueblo 3
In the series finale, CCU established control in the first inning and jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one. The Cougars added single runs in the second and third innings, that extended the lead to 4-0.
CSU Pueblo broke through in the bottom of the fifth when
Cali Cole (So., Merced, Calif.) launched a solo home run to right field. Cole repeated the feat in the seventh inning, hitting her second home run of the game, a two-out blast that drove in
Emma Case (Jr., Loveland, Colo.). Despite the power display, the ThunderWolves were limited to seven hits on the day, with Brower contributing a multi-hit performance that included a double.
The Cougars held the 6-1 lead entering the final frame, Colorado Christian's offense erupted for five runs.
Marissa Reza (Sr., Denver, Colo.) took the loss for CSU Pueblo.
Up Next
With the regular season concluded, the ThunderWolves (38-15, 34-9 RMAC) now turn their attention to the 2026 RMAC Tournament.
The single-elimination tournament is scheduled for May 7-9 and will be hosted in Lakewood, Colo. CSU Pueblo will enter the bracket as one of the top seeds, looking to translate their strong regular-season finish into a conference championship.
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