Hernandez' 15 Ks undone in extra-inning loss

Colorado Mines 8, CSU-Pueblo 7 (10)

GOLDEN, Colo. - Though Pack pitcher Jesus Hernandez threw 15 strikeouts against Colorado Mines Friday, the ThunderWolves saw a ninth-inning rally blow up in their faces as Mines beat the Pack 8-7 in 10 innings.

The ThunderWolves rescued a game that seemed to be lost with a four-run rally in the ninth inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Jon Proesl that put the Pack on top 7-6 as Mines faced its final chance to tie it up in the bottom of the ninth.

But Hernandez, closing in on the complete game, allowed two singles in the ninth, which was all the Orediggers needed to get something going.  The first single to Nick Walker was followed by a passed ball that put him into scoring position.  Jarred Wallace then came to the plate, firing a two-out single to left field that scored Walker and tied the game back up.

In the 10th, after the Pack put up a 1-2-3 inning, two straight walks allowed by Hernandez, who came out to pitch the tenth, put the pieces in place for the Orediggers' walk-off win.  Mario Mattivi came in for relief, allowed on more walk, loading the bases with no outs, and making a Mines run seem almost guaranteed.  Another single by Walker sealed it.

The shame of the game, Pack coach Stan Sanchez said, is that Hernandez' performance, just two away from the school record of 17 strikeouts in a game, was washed away by the loss.

"Jesus was pretty special out there," Sanchez said.  "He deserved a better outcome than this, and it's pretty disheartening that we weren't able to come out on top, because our kids really battled to get back in this game."

The ThunderWolves will try to take control of the series with a noon doubleheader Saturday in Golden.