PUEBLO, Colo. - When the ThunderWolves' Ashley Aldrich and Bo Nuanez managed to uncork back-to-back jacks in the seventh inning of the Pack's second game against Adams State Saturday, it didn't generate the kind of excitement you would expect.
The reason: the homers were more of a sign of a "too little, too late" charge in a doubleheader that the Pack were out of all day long as Adams State scored a sweep, winning the early game 5-1 and the late game 12-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
The ThunderWolves hitters were absolutely dominated by the Grizzlies' top two pitchers, Megan Roberts and Courtney Davis, which combined to strike out 19 ThunderWolves over the two games, allowing a grand total of only 12 hits.
In the first game, Roberts was nearly unhittable, striking out 11 and allowing only three hits. The Pack's only run in the 5-1 was scored on a error on a base steal by Janine Tyler.
On the pitching end of things for the Pack, the ThunderWolves continued to struggle. After a good start, Kelsey Swanberg lost control in the first game, allowing four runs in the fifth inning after allowing one hit through the first four frames.
In game two, it was Adams State's Heather Ebert that took over, knocking around the Pack pitchers to the tune of 7 RBIs, coming off two home runs, including a grand slam, and two doubles. Combined with her 2-for-3, 2 RBI performance in the first game, Ebert went 6-for-8 with with three doubles, a triple, two homers and 9 RBIs.
Overall, it was a doubleheader the Pack would like to quickly forget.
"We didn't hit, we didn't pitch, and we didn't communicate," Pack skipper Shane Showalter said. "We need to start playing softball. It's as simple as that."
The losses drops the Pack to 1-5 on the season, and puts them in an 0-2 hole in conference play. The Pack will return to the field next weekend when they travel to Denver for the Mile High Invitational, hosted by Metro State and Regis.
--This story was sent to FOX 21 News as a general press release from the Athletic Departments of their respective institutions--
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