Pack gets 7th straight, sweeps double-dip

Game 1: CSU-Pueblo 10, Colorado Mines 2
Game 2: CSU-Pueblo 13, Colorado Mines 3

GOLDEN, Colo. - The ThunderWolves banked on stellar fielding, tight pitching, and a cavalcade of Colorado School of Mines errors Saturday in scoring a doubleheader sweep over the Orediggers, winning 10-2 and 13-3.

Led by Scott Harshman (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.), who earned the team-best 5th win with a complete-game six-hitter in the first game, the Pack shrugged off an early 2-0 hole to put up 10 runs, only five of which ended up being earned, as Mines committed six errors.

The Pack added 13 hits to the six Mines errors as 17 runners reached base in the seven-inning matchup.  The Pack bats were lead by a 3-for-4 performance by Dan Ninomiya (Jr., Woodinville, Wash.), a 3-RBI, 3-for-4 day by Nick McLaughlin (Sr., Denver, Colo.) and a 3-day by Bryant Veiga (Jr., Hemet, Calif.). 

The nightcap was keyed in much the same fashion - J.C. Urso (Jr., Saugas, Calif.) turned in a strong pitching performance, going five innings and striking out seven for his first win of the season, and six Mines errors joined with 12 Pack hits carried CSU-Pueblo to the 13-3 win.

The second game marked the return to the starting lineup of catcher/third baseman Ryan Wager (Sr., San Bernardino, Calif.).  Wager, who suffered an eye injury just two weeks into the season, got the start at third base and was effective, going 1-for-4 and scoring two runs, one of five ThunderWolves to cross home plate two or more times.  Veiga broke the team's three-game home run drought with a solo blast while 11 different batters recorded base hits.

In the face of the 12 total errors Mines committed during the doubleheader, CSU-Pueblo, the best fielding team in the RMAC by 16 percentage points, committed none.

The ThunderWolves' win was their 7th straight, its longest win streak in two seasons. Their doubleheader sweep assured the Pack would win the series, its fifth straight series win, marking the longest such streak since the ThunderWolves opened up 2006 with five straight series wins. 

Now at 19-5 and 10-1 in RMAC play, CSU-Pueblo will seek its second sweep of the season when it closes its set with Colorado Mines Sunday afternoon.