CCU baseball was on the road again playing the first of two doubleheaders of the weekend against the Thunderwolves of CSU Pueblo, in Pueblo, CO. The Cougars managed a Saturday split, taking game one by a score of 13-7 and dropping the backend of the day by a score of 0-14. The split brings the Cougars record to 7-16 overall this year and 2-8 in RMAC contests.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Game one: CCU 13, CSUP 7
The Cougs took a couple innings to really open this one up but heading into the top of the 4th inning CCU trailed 2-3, but put up a six spot on the Thunderwolves. The Cougars were able to take advantage of two CSU Pueblo errors leading to five of those six runs being unearned, but hits by
Hunter Hays,
Drew Kennedy, and
Scotty Ingle all ended up becoming scored runs for the Cougars. The Thunderwolves would keep it interesting and answer with four runs in the bottom of the 5th inning, but wouldn't manage anymore runs after that while the Cougars rattled off five more insurance runs over the final four innings to win by a score of 13-7.
Kennedy, who has split his time between the outfield and the pitcher's mound this season, had his best day at the plate as a Cougar, going 3-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Catcher
Joel Manzano kept pace for his best offensive season notching three RBI's and scoring another run.
Hunter Hays, arguably the teams most consistent two-way player, went 2-3 at the plate with two RBI's, a run, and drawing a pair of walks.
Pitchers
Alex Ginn and
Zach Haning combined to allow just six hits, three earned runs, and struck out 10 batters as they held the Thunderwolves to a .206 batting average, over 110 points below their season average.
Game two: CCU 0, CSUP 14
The second game of the doubleheader would not prove as fruitful as the first with the Cougars getting shutout 0-14. The struggles started in the first inning where CCU recorded three hits but were unable to capitalize on the hits, stranding runners on first and third and having a runner thrown out at the plate from center field. After the 1st the Cougars would only manage hits in the 3rd and 5th innings, but the pair of singles and Connor Marshall triple would go unrewarded. Cougar pitching was unable to do much against the Thunderwolves, allowing just eight hits, but walking seven, hitting two more batters, and tossing a season high four wild pitches.
WHAT IS NEXT:
The Cougars will play a second straight doubleheader against the Thunderwolves which will conclude the two teams season series. First pitch of game one is slated for 12:00 pm.
