Gas runs out on ThunderWolves' ride

No. 26 Wayne State 6, CSU-Pueblo 1

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The ThunderWolves' 2009 season was jump-started in a come-from-behind win over Southwest Minnesota State early Saturday, but faced with claiming its second win of the day, CSU-Pueblo's truck simply ran out of gas against Wayne State at the NCAA Division II Central Regionals.

The ThunderWolves ultimately finished third in the region.

Wayne State, throwing a horse of a pitcher in 7-1 John Snyder, was too much for the Pack, playing its second-consecutive nine-inning game late into Saturday night.  The Pack could only salvage five hits off the Wildcats' right-hander.

The loss negated a stellar pitching performance by Scott Harshman (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.), who for all intents and purposes, pitched the game of his life against Wayne State.  Making his second appearance of the day, Harshman threw over 150 pitches in a complete game gem.  In the Pack's win earlier in the day over Southwest Minnesota State, Harshman earned the win, throwing o15 pitches over two innings against the Mustangs.  In all, Harshman threw over 200 pitches in a three-day span, also seeing considerable time in the Pack's region-opener vs. Mesa State.

But the ThunderWolves, which finished the 2009 season with the third-highest win total in school history, finishing with a 41-22 record on the campaign, ascended to a level the program hadn't seen in five years.

"These guys put this program back on the map," Pack coach Stan Sanchez said.  "I'm so proud of these guys and what they've accomplished.  This is a special group."

The 2009 squad boasted one of the top offenses the program had ever seen.  The ThunderWolves have a shot to finish first in the nation in doubles, triples and runs scored, and have set school records in hits, runs scored, doubles, triples, total bases, and RBI.  CSU-Pueblo's 2009 season currently ranks among the best statistically in NCAA Division II history, as their 186 doubles are the second most in NCAA-II history, its 565 RBI is 5th highest, and its 794 hits and 630 runs scored are both the sixth highest in NCAA-II history,