PUEBLO, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs junior Jamie Crabtree hit two home runs and tied the game in the top of the seventh inning, but Colorado State-Pueblo scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth and claimed a 6-2 game against the Mountain Lions in game one of the series. Crabtree improved his season total to eight home runs and moved into a tie for sixth in the RMAC statistics.

Both UCCS and CSU-Pueblo were scoreless through the first three innings before the ThunderWolves (21-22, 15-14 RMAC) put two runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Crabtree hit a home run in the fifth inning on the first pitch he saw and he tied the game at 2-2 with a leadoff home run in the seventh. The Mountain Lions used efficient innings in the sixth and seventh innings with a combined 20 pitches to keep CSU-Pueblo off the board, but the ThunderWolves scored four in the eighth and retook the lead at 6-2. UCCS went down in order in the top of the ninth as CSU-Pueblo claimed game one of the series.

Colin Cicere pitched the first seven and two-third innings, and suffered only his second loss of the season. Bryan Chapin extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a single in the sixth inning.

Despite the loss, UCCS (22-24, 17-16 RMAC) clinched an RMAC Tournament berth after Colorado Christian lost two games at MSU Denver today. The tournament begins May 10 at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Colo. UCCS will finish the conference season with a doubleheader against CSU-Pueblo on Sunday after tonight's second game of the series was canceled due to lightning strikes.