By John Pantoya
The CSU-Pueblo baseball team fought back to win their first game of the season Saturday, with a 6-4 victory over the Montana State University-Billings Yellowjackets.
The game was the first of two doubleheaders between the teams, which were rescheduled for the weekend due to the recent snow accumulation.
Senior Thunderwolf Cole Stephens, who was recently named to the preseason All-RMAC team, was at the helm for the opener.
The T-Wolves wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Two Yellowjacket errors, by the center fielder and pitcher, allowed for two fielder’s choice RBIs in the first inning.
MSU-Billings responded in the top half of the second inning with a run of their own, and shortstop Colby Robinson was brought home on a bunt single after having tripled to center field.
Both pitchers were able to settle in until the fifth inning.
With two outs in the inning, Yellowjackets second baseman Jordan Kessler was able to beat out the throw to first for an infield single.
He was then brought home on a two-run home run by center fielder Jeff Rideway.
Stephens struggled through the rest of the fifth inning, hitting a batter as well as walking two, which led to another Yellowjacket run.
Down two runs, the T-Wolves answered in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double by second baseman Jason Veyna, and a sacrifice fly by center fielder Andrew Castaneda that also brought home a run.
The T-Wolves handed the ball to junior Tim Pomierski in the sixth inning in relief of Stephens. Pomierski started by striking out the first two batters he faced en route to a one-two-three inning.
The go ahead run came in the bottom half of the sixth, as T-Wolves catcher Kyle Wager lead off the inning with a home run. CSU-Pueblo would not relinquish their lead, but rather added to it in the seventh inning.
T-Wolves right fielder J.T. Greenhood earned a walk and stole second base, putting him in scoring position. After a sacrifice fly advanced him to third base, he then scored CSU-Pueblo’s sixth run of the game on a bunt single from Castaneda.
Pomierski finished the game strong, forcing double plays in the seventh and eighth innings, and closing out the Yellowjackets on a soft ground ball to the second baseman.
He earned his first win of the season while also starting the T-Wolves on a winning path.
