BOXSCORE: Game 1 vs Montana State-Billings
BOXCORE: Game 2 vs Montana State-Billings

GREELEY, Colo. - Timely hitting in game one and strong pitching in game two led the Northern Colorado baseball team to a pair of wins against Montana State-Billings on Saturday afternoon to improve to 3-0 on the young season.

Northern Colorado won the first game 14-10, coming back from an early 2-0 deficit and then led wire-to-wire with a 7-2 victory in game two.

Seniors Andy Mees and Kevin Sandberg both went 4-for-5 in the first game of the afternoon with Mees scoring three runs with two RBI, while Sandberg had two runs scored and one RBI. Junior catcher Hunter Nolen also went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and one RBI.

Montana State-Billings (1-6) scored two runs in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the second, the Bears evened the score at 2-2 and then exploded for six runs in the third frame. With one out, Mees tripled down the right field line and scored on a double by Sandberg. Nolen was hit by a pitch and then freshman Cody Coy hit a three-run homerun to left center. Erik Hegstad doubled to right-center, sophomore TJ Berge singled which scored Hegstad and Berge scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Adam Hilker.

In the top of the fifth, the Yellow Jackets threatened with four runs, but the Bears answered with five more in the bottom of the sixth. Tyler Borzileri, the leadoff hitter, singled to second and advanced to third on a single by Mike Raudenbush. Both players scored on a double by Mees. Sandberg singled to put runners on the corner and Mees scored on a strikeout by Nolen. Several batters later, Berge singled to score senior Trey Keene and Sandberg.

One more run in the seventh gave the Bears their 14 for the game, while Montana State-Billings scored three in the eighth and one in the ninth for its 10.

Matt Dudley pitched the first 4.1 innings for Northern Colorado, giving up six runs on six hits, walking four and striking out three. Freshman Joe Willman picked up the win in his first collegiate appearance, throwing the next three innings. He gave up three runs on four hits, striking out two and walking just one. Tony Crudo surrendered one run on one hit in 0.2 of an inning, facing three batters in the ninth and Eric Skufca pitched the final frame, getting three outs in two batters as his defense turned a double play for the final two outs in the contest.

Northern Colorado had 14 runs on 18 hits and committed two errors in the game, while Montana State-Billings tallied 10 runs on 11 hits and had five errors.

Archie Smith took the loss for the Yellow Jackets on the hill, giving up eight runs on eight hits.  Cody Clark pitched 2.2 innings surrendering five runs on six hits and Andy Vennum threw the final 2.1 frames giving up just one run on four hits.

The Bears scored all seven of their runs in the third inning of the second game, which went just seven innings.

Jeff Sciba picked up his first win in a Bears uniform, pitching a solid six innings of shutout baseball. He surrendered just one hit, walking five and striking out four in 23 batters faced. Nate Steinmetz gave up two runs on two hits with two walks and one strikeout in the seventh inning.

Mees continued his hot hand at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored, while Seth Budde, handling the duties behind the plate, went 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run scored. Both Jarod Berggren and Hilker also each had two hits as the team tallied 11 in the win.

Northern Colorado tallied 11 hits for its seven runs with no errors, while Montana State-Billings scored two runs on three hits and also played error free baseball.

Brian Howe was credited with the loss for the Yellow Jackets, giving up seven runs on nine hits in three innings of work. Stefan Malkuch pitched the final three innings and allowed just two hits.

The two teams conclude the four-game series Sunday with first pitch scheduled for noon.