Bears baseball wins home-opening series

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
Bears Baseball wins home-opening series 2-1 over Montana State-Billings

By Adam Ide

Bear News Sportswriter

            The University of Northern Colorado baseball team won its home-opening series two games to one over Montana State-Billings.

            The series was rescheduled twice due to the recent snow. It was originally supposed to be played Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a doubleheader Saturday. It was then rescheduled to begin with a doubleheader Saturday, but was ultimately played with an opening doubleheader Sunday and concluded on Monday.

            The Bears won the first game 6-1, which was shortened to seven innings. Southpaw Keenan Lum gave the team a strong start, and the offense did the rest.

            Northern Colorado got out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Evan Johnson. They extended their lead to 5-0 the next inning as Johnson brought home two more and Jack Pauley’s triple plated another two.

            The Yellowjackets got their only run in the third with a solo shot from Cade Hall.

            Cole Maltese blooped a single into right in the sixth, scoring Dean Lawson and giving UNC a 6-1 lead. That would prove to be the final score.

            Lum picked up the win for the Bears, while Sam Wong took the loss for MSUB.

            Moving on to game two, Northern Colorado wasn’t as lucky. Aaron Hamilton struggled and the Yellowjackets didn’t let up, coming away with the 9-5 win.

            MSUB jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first behind a two-run double from Ryan Myers. An infield single and an error by Maltese gave the Yellowjackets a third run.

            MSUB added two more in the third on an RBI groundout by Myers and an RBI single by Hayden Humphrey.

            UNC finally got on the board in the fourth on a solo shot by Brett Minnick, making it a 5-1 game.

            Karver Pate took over for Hamilton in the fifth, but was greeted rudely by the Yellowjackets. Jalen Garcia drove in Conner Linebarger with a double and Humphrey brought Linebarger in with a sac fly two batters later. At the end of the fifth, MSUB led 7-1.

            The Bears got one in the seventh on an RBI single by Lawson, cutting the deficit to 7-2.

            MSUB added two more for good measure in the ninth. Garcia tripled to center scoring Linebarger, and came around to score on a throwing error by Lawson.          

            Northern Colorado tried to mount a comeback in the last half of the ninth, but fell short. Alex Kiel and Lawson both had RBI doubles and Austin Miller added an RBI single, but it wasn’t enough. The Yellowjackets held on for the 9-5 victory.

            Steen Frederickson got the win for MSUB and Sam Muskat earned the save. Hamilton was charged with the loss.

            In the series finale, it seemed like more of the same from the Yellowjackets. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first again, this time on a three-run jack from Myers.

            However, UNC had other ideas when they came to bat in the bottom half. They scored 11 runs and chased starter Tanner Cantwell after just a third of an inning. Carson Woolery didn’t fare any better, as he failed to record an out after giving up four runs (three earned).

            Pauley began the scoring with an RBI single to right, and Minnick quickly gave the Bears the lead with his second homer in as many days. The three-run shot gave Northern Colorado a 4-3 lead, one they would not relinquish.

            UNC added a run on a balk, and later added two more on a two-run single by Miller. The lead increased to 7-3. 

            Cole Maltese hit the second three-run shot of the inning, further increasing the lead to 10-4. Minnick picked up his second hit of the inning, this time an RBI single to score Johnson and give the Bears an 11-3 lead.

            MSUB added a run in the third on a sac fly by Matt Dillon, cutting the deficit to 11-4.

            Matt Burkart extended Northern Colorado’s lead to 12-4 in the third with an RBI single, scoring Johnson.

            The Yellowjackets added two more in the fourth on a two-run homer by Garcia, but still trailed by six.

            Pitcher Connor Leedholm stepped to the plate in the fourth after an injury to Miller caused UNC to forfeit the designated hitter. After fouling a few pitches off (much to the amusement of his teammates), Leedholm shocked everyone by blasting his first career home run over the left field wall. He was mobbed by his teammates and gave the Bears a 14-6 lead.

            Northern Colorado added their final four runs of the game in the seventh, first on a two-run triple by Burkart. Tyler Yamaguchi singled him in, and Jake Obias drew a pinch-hit walk. That gave the Bears an 18-6 lead, proving to be the final score.

            Leedholm picked up the win, adding to his great game at The Jack. Tanner Cantwell took the loss for MSUB.

           

            UNC won the series 2-1, improving their record to 4-3. They remain at home as they take on North Dakota State this weekend. The four-game series begins Friday at 2 p.m.