Pack overcomes freak injuries to get a pair from Chadron

CSU-Pueblo 8, Chadron State 2
CSU-Pueblo 12, Chadron State 4 

When news reached Pack coach Shane Showalter earlier this week that his number-two and number-three pitchers, Alyssa Hansen and Amber Higby, had been involved in a car accident that both sustained some injuries, he was obviously worried.  After he had made sure that they were not hurt badly and that everything was okay, the next question became "can they pitch this weekend?"

But freshman hurler Desirae Hernandez allowed the question to be a moot point, leaving her teammates to tend to their wounds while she pitched strongly in 4-1/3 innings, allowing the Pack to take the back end of a doubleheader against Chadron State by a 12-4 margin.  The win, combined with a strong 8-2 win in the opening game, secured a two-fer for the ThunderWolves Friday.

Hernandez, the Pack's number-four pitcher, was pushed to the circle in the second game as Hansen wasn't medically-cleared to play, and Higby, though cleared to play, was treated with kid gloves, only seeing 2/3 innings of work on the back end of the 12-4 win.

"It was great that we were able overcome injuries and a shorthanded pitching staff to get two wins today," Showalter said.  "We're playing well in all phases of the game right now, and it's great that our players were able to step up and get it done."

Hernandez and number-one pitcher, Kelsey Swanberg, certainly got help from a hot Pack offense in the two wins.  The ThunderWolves sprayed 28 hits in the two games, with the Pack's number-nine, leadoff and number-two hitters, Katie Johnson, Janine Tyler and Kari Romero, combining to go 13-for-19 in the two games, which each logging two or more hits in each matchup.

Swanberg, though, needed very little help from her hitters to be successful. Swanberg allowed just four hits for the third consecutive game, and gained her third win in as many starts in the 8-2 victory.  Swanberg only had one earned run, and struck out seven.

All told, the Pack's wins vaults their record above .500 for the first time this season at 7-6, and evens their conference record at 2-2.  The two wins were the team's sixth in the last seven.

"We're playing good softball right now," Showalter said.  "We're getting a good bat on the ball, our pitchers are finding their spots and the fielding is strong and consistent.  We need to continue to build on that and keep this going."

The Pack will hit the field again Saturday morning at 11 a.m. to close out the series with Chadron with another doubleheader.