PUEBLO, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team pieced together a strong performance from the pitching staff on Tuesday against Colorado State University Pueblo to earn an 8-3 midweek victory over the Thunderwolves at Rawlings Park.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UCCS 8, CSUP 3
Records: UCCS (2-7, 0-0 RMAC) | CSUP (0-3, 0-0 RMAC)
Facility | Location: CSUP Rawlings Park | Pueblo, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions improve to 12-9 all-time against the Thunderwolves.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- After the Mountain Lions went down in order to begin the contest, the CSU Pueblo offense quickly came to life in the bottom half of the first inning as Reggie Williams and Brady Prewitt led off the inning with back-to-back doubles against UCCS starting pitcher Ryder Mancuso to give the Thunderwolves a 1-0 lead. Mancuso would walk the ensuing CSUP batter, but went on to strike out the following two batters before ending the inning with a ground ball to third base.
- The UCCS offense responded in the top half of the second inning as Brad Madison led off the inning with a walk that was followed by a single up the middle from Kasey Campbell. After shortstop Macully Sehr executed a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third base, catcher Evan Steinberger cashed in with a single to right field that scored both runners and gave the Mountain Lions a 2-1 lead.
- UCCS would continue to add to their lead in the top of the third inning with a walk from Ronan Hella and a single by Aaron Brakel setting the table for redshirt sophomore Kit Wigington to drive home both runs with a two-RBI single to right field, pushing the lead to 4-1.
- The Thunderwolves threatened to cut into the UCCS lead with a pair of runners reaching base in the home halves of the third and fourth innings, but both rallies would be extinguished by inning-ending double plays in each inning.
- Both teams would remain scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Mountain Lions continued to add to their advantage in the top of the seventh inning with a two-out, two-run single off the bat off Caleb Stubbings that extended the UCCS lead to 6-1.
- After a home run from Prewitt in the bottom of the seventh inning cut the UCCS lead to four runs, the Thunderwolves continued to threaten in their half of the eighth inning as a double from Edmund King brought home another run to make it a 6-3 game. A hit by pitch of Reggie Williams would spell the end of the outing for UCCS reliever John Hoffman and brought the tying run to the plate, but Jon Sotto entered the game and induced a ground ball to third base on his first pitch to end the inning.
- A two-RBI double from Stubbings in the top of the ninth inning would help UCCS regain a five-run cushion before Sotto tossed a clean ninth inning to secure the 8-3 victory.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions notched a season-high 14 hits while seven of the nine offensive starters recorded a hit.
- Wigington broke out with a 4-for-5 game as he also scored two runs and drove home a pair of RBIs.
- Stubbings led the team with his three RBIs as he put together a 2-for-5 day with a double.
- Brakel (2-for-5), Campbell (2-for-3), and Steinberger (2-for-4) also recorded multi-hit games while Steinberger tabbed a pair of RBIs.
- Mancuso made the start on the mound and tossed three solid innings, allowing one earned run and four hits with a pair of strikeouts.
- Hoffman (1-0) entered the game in the fourth inning and went on to earn his first win of the season after pitching 4.2 innings with just two earned runs and four strikeouts.
- Sotto pitched the final 1.1 innings and picked up his first save of the season after retiring all four Thunderwolves he faced with one strikeout.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Mountain Lions have now recorded double-digit hits in four of their last five games.
- Mancuso has recorded an exceptional start to his collegiate career, allowing just two earned runs in his first 9.1 innings pitched for a team-leading 1.93 ERA.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will return home this weekend to take on University of Northern Colorado for a three-game series beginning on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 11 a.m. from Mountain Lion Park.
SOCIAL
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
