ALAMOSA, Colo. – The first game of the series between Adams State Baseball and CSU-Pueblo got underway on Friday afternoon. Both teams were hoping to turn their fortunes around, Adams State (7-32, 4-21 RMAC) returning from Colorado Mesa after being swept and CSU-Pueblo (18-20, 13-12 RMAC) also coming off a sweep last weekend.
 
Adams State got on the board first, with Jared Gay hitting a sacrifice fly to center field bringing Erik Hildebrandt home to score. Logan Bistrup followed that up next batter with a single through the right side bringing home Nico Nintze.
 
CSU-Pueblo answered right back in the top of second with an Aiden Welch home run to right field to lead off the inning. The ThunderWolves scored three more runs in the inning off a two run single by Connor Hughes and a fielding error by the Grizzlies.
 
CSU-Pueblo scored again in the third on another home run, this time by Rion Santamaria to right field. Nico Nintze got in on the action in the bottom of the inning, hitting a solo home run to right field to bring Adams State back within two runs.
 
The ThunderWolves widened the lead again in the fifth inning, Dakota Popham grounded into a double play but with a runner on third the run scored and made the lead 6-3 in favor of CSU-Pueblo.
 
The game really opened up the next inning as the ThunderWolves scored nine runs, the first being on a fielder's choice, then a single to left center and a single to center field brought the next two runs home. A double to center field and a wild pitch scored the next two runs for CSU-Pueblo. To finish the scoring, Connor Hughes hit a grand slam to right field to increase the lead to 15-3.
 
CSU-Pueblo had such a good time scoring nine runs in the sixth inning they decided to do it again in the eighth inning. This time a double started the scoring, that was followed up by a single up the middle and a single through the left side.

A double to left field and a single through the left side brought the score to 20-3 in favor of CSU-Pueblo. The scoring in the eighth ended the same way it did in the sixth with a grand slam to right center by Mason Hayes.
 
Adams State did not go down without a fight as in the bottom of the inning, Noah Befus doubled to left center to score Cameron Brosh. Eric Sommerfeld hit his first home run of the year two batters later to right center bringing home Befus as well.

Josh Billingham went back to back with Sommerfeld as he also homered to right center the very next pitch. Gavin Bell came up with two runners on and singled through the left side to score Nathan Hield and bring in the eighth run of the game for Adams State.
 
CSU-Pueblo brought home three more runs in the top of the ninth, with a Talon Schaller home run to center field, a fielding error by Adams State, and a single to center field bringing the score to 27-8 ThunderWolves.
 
Adams State could not rally in the ninth and that would be the final score with CSU-Pueblo taking game one.
 
Nico Nintze had two hits, two runs scored, and a RBI for the Grizzlies, Billy Ryan went three for three at the plate. Eric Sommerfeld and Josh Billingham both hit home runs in the losing effort. Kolton Bleggi started the game for Adams State and pitched 5.0 innings with two strikeouts. Connor Flynn pitched the most in relief with 1.1 innings with no hits allowed and one strikeout.
 
Connor Hughes led the ThunderWolves with three hits and six RBI including a grand slam. Aiden Welch had four hits and three RBI as well. Beau Brieske started the game and pitched 6.0 innings with seven strikeouts and only allowing three runs.
 
Adams State and CSU-Pueblo have a double header tomorrow, first pitch will be at 12 p.m. at the ASU Baseball field.