PUEBLO, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team win their first game of the 2024 RMAC schedule, splitting the Sunday doubleheader with #16 Colorado State University-Pueblo.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Game One: UCCS 6, CSUP 5 | Final Game Two: UCCS 2, CSUP 3
- Records: UCCS (4-15, 1-2 RMAC) | CSUP (13-6, 2-1 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Rawlings Field |Pueblo, Colo.
- All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions have all-time record vs the ThunderWolves moves to 14-17.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- UCCS again found themselves with an early deficit, with CSU Pueblo grabbing two runs in the first inning behind productive outs from Christian Casteneda and Brad Stone to knock in the pair.
- The Mountain Lions would then respond with four unanswered in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. In the fourth, it was Kasey Campbell who reached base on a throwing error from Kade Snodgrass at second, allowing Alec Gomez to come across and cut the lead to a run. In the fifth, UCCS earned a lead off walk from Caleb Chance who then stole second, allowing Hayden Iverson to double in the run and tie the game at 2. The push was capped off in the sixth, Aaron Brakel reached on a fielder's choice, then would move up to third on Caleb Chance's single, with Chance himself taking second when the throw challenged Brakel at third unsuccessfully. This set the table for Hayden Iverson to knock both runners in with a single to center, giving the Mountain Lions their first advantage of the game.
- Pueblo wasn't done at the plate, though, plating three runs an recapturing the lead in the home half of the sixth. Hits from Kade Snodgrass and Wyatt Reginato plated three, helped along by a Vander Hodges error at short for UCCS. Logan Kelly, Jeremiah Sanchez and Kade Snodgrass all came in to score in the frame, giving CSU Pueblo back the lead at 5-4.
- The Mountain Lions, then down to their final three outs, went back to work. Wigington led the seventh with his fourth long ball of the year, UCCS followed with a Kasey Campbell single, then back-to-back walks issued to Vander Hodges and Evan Steinberger. Aaron Brakel then slashed a fielder's choice up the middle, beating the play out at first to bring Campbell in with the winning run as UCCS prevailed with the 6-5 win.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- For the first time in the series, UCCS got the scoring started, though it wasn't until the fourth inning that a player crossed home plate. In the inning, Tyler Richardson would lead off with a hard earned walk, then would move up to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Aaron Jenkins. Vander Hodges then came through, driving the third pitch of his at bat to the gap in left center field, bringing Richardson home to claim the 1-0 lead.
- The ThunderWolves answered back in the fourth inning when Brad Stone walked, then came around on Jeremiah Sanchez's double. Rob Mansour kept the line moving two batters later with a single, bringing Sanchez home to put CSUP up 2-1.
- Pueblo got an insurance run in the fifth when Christian Castaneda came in on a wild pitch from James Boeree, moving the score to 3-1.
- UCCS threatened in the seventh, and got one run on a Caleb Stubbings ground out, but couldn't bring in the tying run from third, dropping the second game of the double header 3-2.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME TWO
- Colton Trudeau's 3.2 innings pitched was the longest appearance of his season, also fanning three batters which was his new best mark for the year.
- Edwig Corrales was very effective for the ThunderWolves, throwing 6.2 innings of two run baseball.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- UCCS game one win marked their first victory over a ranked opponent since they beat #6 Colorado Mesa on March 20th, 2022.
- UCCS snaps a four game slide with their game one victory.
- The Mountain Lions now hold a 1-2 record in one run games this year.
UP NEXT
- The four-game series will wrap up tomorrow with game four getting started at 12 p.m. in Pueblo.
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 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
