PUEBLO, Colo. - The Colorado School of Mines softball team was within striking distance in both games on Sunday but came up just short losing a pair of one run games to CSU-Pueblo by scores of 9-8 and 2-1 on Sunday afternoon.

The Orediggers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead as Molly Thiebaut hit a three-run shot, her fourth of the season, in the first inning and Sarah Lustgraaf hit an RBI double in the third.

CSU-Pueblo tied the game at four with a grand slam but Mines took back the lead on Thiebaut's sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth.

The Orediggers extended their lead with two more runs in the sixth inning to make it 7-4 as Sami Springer smacked a two-RBI double.

The ThunderWolves cut into the Mines' lead scoring twice in the sixth with two singles but Kamee Vessey hit her ninth home run of the season in the seventh to widen that gap to 8-6.

CSU-Pueblo tied the game with a two-run pitch hit home run and would go on to win the game with a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Thiebaut was 2-for-3 with a two runs scored and four RBI while Lustgraaf went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Vessey was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Springer finished 1-for-1 with a run scored, two RBI and a walk.

Game two turned was a pitcher's dual. Mines scored in the first on the RBI single by Sarah Lustgraaf. The ThunderWolves also added a single run in the first as a result of a throwing error. CSU-Pueblo scored the final run of the game in the second inning on an RBI single.

Kelly Unkrich was efficient in the circle surrendering just two hits over the next five innings. Mines best chance to tie the game came in the sixth inning.

Lustgraaf drew a walk to lead off. Kristen Prudhomme came in to pinch run advancing to second on the ground out. A Lauren Aberle single put runners on the corners with just one out but Paige Coufal hit into a double play to end the inning.

Mines was unable to tie the game in the seventh as the final three batters struck out, grounded out and flied out to end the game.

Unkrich took the loss but allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with five strikeouts inducing 11 ground balls for outs. Thiebaut was 2-for-3 in the game for Mines.

The Orediggers (4-15, 1-7 RMAC) will play their first home game of the 2012 season after 19 straight games on the road beginning on Saturday, March 10 with a doubleheader against Chadron State beginning at 12:00 pm.