April 4, 2006

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GREELEY, Colo. - The University of Northern Colorado baseball team was limited to a season-low two hits and made three costly errors that led to three unearned runs as it dropped a 3-1 decision to in-state rival Air Force on Tuesday afternoon at Jackson Field.

The win for Air Force (10-16) was only the third in the last three years against Northern Colorado (9-18), who had won 15 of the previous 17 games against the only other Division I baseball team in the state entering Tuesday's contest. In also snapped the Bears five game winning streak in the series. The teams, who are usually involved in slugfest contests, combined for only four runs, the fewest in the series in 48 games dating back to a 2-1 Air Force victory in the 1984 season.

The two hits matched a low also set against Texas-Pan American and Texas A&M earlier this season. One of those hits came in the third inning when Devin Warner led off the frame with a blooper to shallow right field; on the hustle play, however, Warner was able to turn the routine hit into a double. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and came into score on a sacrifice fly by junior Brennan Garr.

The Bears held that 1-0 lead into the sixth inning when the Falcons scored the first of their three unearned runs on the day. Matt Ghigna was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a fielding error in the outfield and came home to score on a bases loaded walk by starter Seth Gilleland.

Gilleland would make way for reliever Jon Leines in the seventh inning and Leines would fall victim to poor defense as well. Billy Adams would single to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice, went to third on an error on a fly ball to the outfield and score on a wild pitch. Air Force slugger Karl Bolt then singled up the middle, plating another run and putting his team up 3-1.

Zach Brockman would double in the bottom of the seventh inning but that would be the last hit the usually shaky Falcon pitching staff would allow. Closer Paul Vignola came on to pitch the last two innings, striking out one in picking up his sixth save of the season.

Although Air Force walked 10 batters, they shut the Bears down when they needed to, as the Bears were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position during the game.

AFA starter Kyle DePierre went the first three innings, allowing a hit and a run. In relief, Casey Allen (1-2) picked up the victory, as he did not allow the Bears a hit in three innings of work. Paul Pratt worked the seventh, allowing only the Brockman double.

For the Bears, Gilleland pitched the first six innings, allowing six hits and an unearned run. Leines (0-1) was the hard-luck loser, allowing a pair of unearned runs in an inning of work. Evan Linn and Garr each pitched a perfect inning of relief to close out the game.

Northern Colorado stranded 11 runners on the afternoon.

Air Force was led by a 2-for-4 day from Bolt, who did not play in the last matchup with the Bears, a 7-3 Northern Colorado win at The Academy.

The two teams will meet at least twice more this season, April 11 at The Academy and May 2 in Greeley.

Northern Colorado will return to action this weekend when they host fellow Division I Independent South Dakota State (9-13) for a three-game series. The first game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first pitch on Friday afternoon. The teams also play Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (Noon).