Big first-inning lifts Pack to RMAC Tourney win

RMAC Tournament: No. 4 CSU-Pueblo 6, No. 5 Regis 4
Related: RMAC Tournament Bracket
Related: NCAA Central Region Rankings

DENVER, Colo. - A three-run first inning by the ThunderWolves laid the groundwork for a 6-4 win over Regis Thursday morning in the first-round of the RMAC Softball Tournament, being held at Metro State College in Denver.

The win sets up a showdown with the tournament's host, Metro State, at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning at Metro State College in Denver.  The RMAC Softball Tournament is a double-elimination tournament.

Kayla Dionese (Fr., Pueblo, Colo.) drove home the Pack's first runs with a base-clearing double to right centerfield, sending Janine Tyler (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) and Ashley Aldrich (Sr., Sahuarita, Ariz.) across the plate as CSU-Pueblo took a 2-0 lead.

The Pack's first inning edge was extended to 3-0 after Justine Bosio (Fr., Santa Barbara, Calif.) sent Dionese home with an RBI single.

The Pack's three-run first inning undid a successful opening frame by Regis, who jumped out to a 1-0 lead after connecting on two hits in the first inning.

Regis closed the edge to 4-2 in the third inning, but CSU-Pueblo added an insurance run in the fifth as Bosio singled home Dionese. 

The Pack lead was secured as Katie Johnson (Sr., Bonney Lake, Wash.) hit a leadoff home run in the sixth inning, part of a two-run sixth have gave the Pack a 6-3 advantage.

Pitcher Amber Higby (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.), recently named a third-team all-RMAC selection Tuesday, allowed four runs on six hits in a complete game performance, with three runs being earned.  Higby set a career high in strikeouts, fanning six Ranger batters.

Note: CSU-Pueblo, which entered the tournament ranked sixth in the Central Region, solidified its chance for a Regional Tournament bid with the win over Regis.  The region's top eight teams make the tournament, and CSU-Pueblo sat at sixth while Regis was at 7th, greatly improving their chances of a bid, win or lose in the tournament.  The Pack's opponent Friday, Metro State, is the second-ranked team in the region.