By Ashlyn Drury
The CSU Pueblo baseball team had an outstanding performance against the NCAA DI University of New Mexico Lobos. They won the season with an eight-to-six victory over the Lobos.
Game one of the two-game series occurred on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. The Thunderwolves kept the Lobos on their toes through the entirety. CSU Pueblo was down two to one for most of the game, but they finally took the lead in the sixth inning, bringing in five runs.
New Mexico brought in three runs in the seventh inning, keeping the score very close. The Thunderwolves kept the lead going into the ninth and final inning. However, the Lobos picked up their energy bringing in two runs, winning with a walk-off. The final score of game one was eight to seven in favor of the Lobos.
Game two of the two-game series took place Wed. On April 12, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., the Thunderwolves returned hungry for a win. After keeping the score as close as they did in game one, they knew they could do it.
Some new faces were put on the field for the Thunderwolves during this series. Lefty pitcher, Caden English, got his first career start with an outstanding performance in the first inning. English is a redshirt freshman out of Broomfield, Colorado, with 14.1 innings pitched and eight strikeouts this season.
Edwing Corrales came in following English, pitching 4.1 innings and picking up the win for the pack. Corrales has 21.8 innings pitched and 13 strikeouts for the season and picked up his first pitching win in this game.
Other key players in the game include Cole Knightley, who hit a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning, giving the pack a seven-to-three lead, giving them the momentum to win the game. Ruben Portillo got his first save of the year with two innings pitched and zero earned runs. Portillo struck out the heart of the New Mexico Lobos order in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Thunderwolves had an eight-to-six victory over the Lobos. While they did not win both games, they showcased their talents and abilities and proved they could play at the next level. As a minor NCAA DII university, they played amazingly against a DI team.
