PUEBLO, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs junior Nikki Hoffman went four-of-seven between the two games as the Mountain Lions (11-6, 8-4 RMAC) split the second day of a four-game series with Colorado State-Pueblo (5-18, 4-8 RMAC) at the Rawlings Softball Complex. The ThunderWolves won the first game 5-1 before the Mountain Lions broke a scoreless game in the sixth inning for a 3-0 shutout.

Neither team had a baserunner in the second game until CSU-Pueblo earned a walk and a hit in the bottom of the third inning. Stephanie Chitkowski used her third strikeout of the game to close the inning before both offenses started to find success.

Hoffman led off the fourth inning with a single to left field but a fielder's choice and double play took the teams to the bottom of the fourth. The ThunderWolves beat the throw to start the fourth inning with a single, but when the runner tried to take advantage of a loose ball on the throw, the Mountain Lions used a run down to earn the out. CSU-Pueblo hit another single on the next batter before a foul out to first base and a strikeout ended the inning.

Jordyn Cusimano hit a two-out double in the fifth that stayed fair down the left field line, but a ground out to the shortstop limited the rally. The ThunderWolves used their own double to center field in the bottom of the fifth but no other batter would reach base as the game stayed tied at 0-0 through five innings.

Leigh Lancaster opened the sixth a single to left field, but was caught stealing while Whitney Weber was at the plate. A line drive to second base made it two outs before Hoffman sparked the game-winning rally with a single to right field. Amanda Nobles pinch ran for Hoffman, and she scored after a deep hit by Melissa Martinek to center field. Martinek would be the next score after a single to right field by Dani Fonseca, and Fonseca scored on a single to right center field by Makenna Smith. The ThunderWolves loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with one out, but Christina Patton came in for relief and earned a strikeout for the second out and the Mountain Lions used a force out at third to end the inning with no runs allowed.

Haley Smith attempted to extend the lead in the seventh inning with a double that reached the center field wall, but couldn't cross the plate. The ThunderWolves couldn't get a runner past second base in the bottom of the seventh as UCCS earned the series split with a 3-0 shutout in the final game.

Chitkowski earned the victory in her only start of the weekend with four strikeouts and four hits. Haley Smith earned her first save of the season to close out the game. 

Dani Fonseca struck out three batters in the bottom of the first inning to start the day, but a series of errors in the second inning allowed three runs to score for the ThunderWolves. The Mountain Lions scored its first run of the game in the third inning with an RBI double from Hoffman to score Weber from first base.

CSU-Pueblo expanded the lead with a two-run home run into the fourth inning. UCCS put runners on base in each of the next three innings but couldn't move any of them past first base as the ThunderWolves opened the day with a 5-1 decision against the Mountain Lions.

Fonseca took the loss in the complete game performance and struck out seven batters in the process. 

UCCS will begin a 12-game homestand for the next three weekends. The Mountain Lions will begin with a four-game series against Colorado Mesa March 12-13.