April 22, 2007

Box Score

RAPID CITY, S.D. - The University of Northern Colorado baseball team allowed at least two runs in five different innings on Sunday, falling to South Dakota State 14-9 in the second game of a three-game road series.

Things looked good early on for the Bears (10-22), when Anthony Garcia led off the game with a homerun to right field.

The Jacks (19-14) responded with a two runs in both the first and third innings, before Northern Colorado reclaimed the lead with a four-run fifth.

John Ray opened the scoring with a double down the right field line, plating Cory Morales. Grady Gorman followed with a three-run homer to left, scoring Ray and Kevin Sandberg to put the Bears up 5-4.

SDSU retook the lead with another pair in the sixth, but the Bears again responded, this time with three runs on a pair of homers in the top of the seventh.

Ray sent a shot over the left field wall to tie the game again, and two batters later, Chad Murray plated himself and Adam Symons on a round-tripper to left center, giving Northern Colorado an 8-6 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Jacks scored six runs on four hits - including a grand slam - to take the lead for good.

Murray added a RBI single in the ninth, scoring Ray for the game's final run.

Northern Colorado tallied 12 hits on the afternoon, including three by Ray and Symons and two each from Garcia and Murray.

Jason Banks (1-2) took the loss for Northern Colorado, allowing five runs in two innings of relief work. Dan Kazell got the start for the Bears, and gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings of work.

The Bears conclude the series on Sunday, with a 1 p.m. MT first pitch.