Bears softball gets swept in doubleheader

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
Bears softball gets swept in doubleheader

By Adam Ide

Bear News Sportswriter

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            The University of Northern Colorado softball team lost both games of its doubleheader Saturday to Portland State at Gloria Rodriguez Field.

            Weather caused Friday’s doubleheader to be pushed back to Saturday, shortening the series from three games to two.

            The Vikings won 12-4 in five innings in game one, with Alyssa Burk earning the win. Valerie Vidal took the loss for the Bears.

            Burk went 3 and 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit while walking five. Vidal gave up four runs in only two innings of work.

            It was a windy day in Greeley, and Vidal said that factored into the team’s poor performance in game one.

            “The first game we tried to factor in wind and have a different game plan,” Vidal said. “We drifted from what we have been successful in the past, so it was a learning experience.”

            PSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Rachel Menlove. Portland State then hit around in both the third and fourth innings, scoring five and six runs, respectively.

            Alexis Morrison drove in Darian Lindsey with a single, and Riley Casper delivered the big blow of the third. Her bases-clearing double to right field made it a 5-0 game, and an error by Sophia Tayler allowed Casper to score.

            “We just had too many defensive mistakes in the first game to come back from,” head coach Shana Easley said. “Between errors and we were not anticipating plays.”

            PSU put up their second consecutive crooked number in the fourth, scoring six and pushing the lead to 12-0. Ashley Doyle drove in one with a fielder’s choice and Menlove scored on a bases-loaded walk. Alexxis Ponce plated two with a single, and Tayler Gunesch another with an RBI single. The Vikings drew another bases-loaded walk for the sixth run of the inning.

            “We walked too many batters in the first game, and that’s hard to come back from,” Easley said.

            The Bears finally answered in the bottom of the fourth on Rachel Johnson’s RBI single. After Kelli Kleis held Portland State scoreless in the top of the fifth, Northern Colorado tried to keep the game from ending in the eight-run rule.

            Kaley Garcia drove in Madi Schmidt with an RBI double, and came around to score on Lauren Paige’s RBI double. Emma Brockmann drove in the third run of the inning with an RBI single, but the rally would end there. Emma Detamore got the final out, ending the game in the fifth inning.

            “We had some good battle at the end of the game, getting runners on and scoring runs,” Easley said. “But the defensive miscues, we shot ourselves in the foot and couldn’t come back.”

            Game two was more of a pitching duel, as Vidal and Burk squared off again. But a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh gave the Vikings a 3-2 victory and a sweep in the twin bill.

            It was the same decisions in the second game, as Burk earned the win and Vidal took the loss.

            Vidal pitched her 17^th complete game of the season, allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out eight. Burk also pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on eight hits.

            “We went back to what we normally do,” Vidal said of her strong performance in game two. “Going off speed, throwing a good curve and having that rise is crucial to get those mis-hits.”

            Northern Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a solo home run by Johnson. UNC added another in the next inning on an RBI single by Jordyn Wiatrak, and led 2-0 after three.

            The Vikings answered with one the next half inning on an RBI infield single by Kortney Craker.

            Marissa Bruno singled to lead off the seventh, but Vidal retired the next two batters. Kaela Morrow tied the game with an RBI double, and Menlove gave Portland State the lead with an RBI single.

            “We have to be able to, when the game is on the line, to close the door and it didn’t fall our way,” Easley said. “They take advantage of a couple of pitches and drive the ball up the middle, executing how they needed to do to win the game.”

            Cheyenne Talmadge led off the bottom of the seventh with an infield single, but was erased on a double play. Sophia Taylor flied out to center, ending the game and giving PSU a comeback victory.

            After the series loss, the Bears are now just one game over .500 at 23-22. Northern Colorado remains on the road with a series at North Dakota this weekend.