GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo dropped its opening game of the 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament here Wednesday afternoon, falling 15-3 to No. 3-seeded UCCS in the Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark on the campus of Colorado Mesa University.
With the loss, the fourth-seeded ThunderWolves fall to 26-25 overall, while UCCS improved to 33-17-1. The Pack will now look to remain alive in the double-elimination tournament on Thursday, May 7, at 3 p.m. as they face the winner of Wednesday's third and final game of the opening round against No. 1- seeded and No. 2-ranked Colorado Mesa and No. 6-seeded Regis.
The Pack, who are ranked eighth in this week's latest NCAA Division II South Central Regional rankings, finished Wednesday's RMAC Tournament opener with eight hits, including two-hit performances from sophomore centerfielder
Dax Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) and senior rightfielder
Jeremiah Sanchez (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo West). Howard scored two of the Pack's three runs and added a pair of doubles, while Sanchez drove home two runs with a double and a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.
UCCS jumped in front 3-0 in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI double by Tyler Genrich and a two-run homer by Ruben Velasco off of senior hurler
Luke Ruby (Fort Collins, Colo./Resurrection Christian).
The Pack got on the scoreboard in the top of the third as Howard led off the frame with a double and scored two batters later on an RBI ground out by senior shortstop
Kyle Miller (Pueblo, Colo./Colorado Mesa).
CSU Pueblo had a chance to score in the top of the fourth as they loaded the bases thanks to two singles and a walk, but UCCS' Gerrit Erickson got out of the jam by forcing Howard to fly out to center, stranding three runners.
UCCS pushed its lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a lead-off homer by Genrich and added a fifth run later in the inning on an RBI single by Tyson Mayberry and pushed another run across as Quinn Medin scored from third as Mayberry was thrown out trying to steal second to take a 6-1 advantage.
In the top of the fifth, the Pack pulled within 6-2 thanks to an RBI double to left center by Sanchez.
UCCS extended its lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth thanks to RBI singles by Brendan Killeen and Velasco.
In the bottom of the sixth, James Harbison gave the Mountain Lions a 9-2 lead on a two-out home run to right center, and after Trevor Dale doubled down the left field line, Killeen brought him home on an RBI single to right center to give UCCS a 10-2 lead.
UCCS pushed in front 12-2 in the bottom of the seventh on a 2-run single to center off the bat of Matthew Shipley.
Genrich gave UCCS a 15-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth on a 3-run homer to left center.
In the ninth, the Pack loaded the bases with one out, thanks to back-to-back doubles by Howard and senior catcher
Cody Macias (San Diego, Calif./Granite Hills) and a walk issued to freshman pinch hitter
Leonardo Peniche (Arcadia, Calif./Arcadia), and scored a run when Sanchez drew a bases-loaded walk from Spencer Gallimore to pull the Pack within 15-3. Gallimore, though, ended the threat by inducing sophomore first baseman
Tyler Clementz (Gilbert, Ariz./Basha) to fly out to center to end the game.
Senior
Luke Ruby (Fort Collins, Colo./Resurrection Christian), who was named a First-Team All-RMAC selection on Wednesday, suffered the loss on the mound (2-2) as he allowed six runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings and had three strikeouts and walked one. Freshman
Cody Smith (Menifee, Calif./Liberty) and junior
Clayden Brandon (West Herriman, Utah/Western Nebraska CC) combined to throw the final 4.1 innings in relief for the Pack.
UCCS, which tallied 21 hits in the game, including seven extra base hits that included four home runs, was paced offensively by Genrich, who went 3-for-5 with 5 RBI, two home runs, and three runs scored, while Killeen was 4-for-5 with three runs scored, 2 RBI, and Dale was 3-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored. Velasco, Medin, Harbison, and Bryce Peterson each had two hits in the victory for the Mountain Lions.
Erickson (6-4) earned the win for UCCS as he tossed seven innings and allowed five hits and two runs, while striking out seven and walking two. Gallimore pitched the final two innings and allowed three hits and one run, while striking out two and walking two.
The teams combined to leave 15 runners on base as the Pack stranded nine, including leaving the bases loaded twice, and UCCS left six on base. The Pack was 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position, while UCCS was 7-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
