@NCBearsBaseball Wins WAC Opener in Comeback Fashion

Friday, March 20

Greeley, Colo.

3:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

4-11, 1-0

Chicago State

6-14, 0-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Chicago State	0	2	0	0	0	3	0	3	0	8	12	0
Northern Colorado	0	0	4	1	1	1	0	2	X	9	13	2

3/20/2015 8:07:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

For the second straight game UNC baseball used a come from behind effort to secure the win

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo. – The Northern Colorado baseball team started Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play in exciting fashion on Friday afternoon, defeating Chicago State 9-8 in a back-and-forth game.

The Bears (4-11, 1-0 WAC) used a two run, two out rally to get their second comeback victory in a row.

"This team has been real resilient all year, and it has shown in both games this week coming back in each," first baseman Brandon Vaughn said.

UNC entered the bottom of the eighth down 8-7 after the Cougars (6-14) put up a three spot in the top half. The team started its rally when senior Ryan Yamane (Honolulu, Hawaii) drew a one out walk. Fellow Hawaiian Jensen Park (Kaneohe, Hawaii) grounded out to first, but moved Yamane into scoring position.

Brandon Vaughn (Louisville, Colo.) helped push Northern Colorado's first run across in the inning when a ball hit to the shortstop took a big hop over his head to get to the outfield. Yamane was waved home on the play, just sneaking his foot in under the tag to score, while Vaughn advanced to second on the throw.

Payton Tapia (Fort Collins, Colo.) then singled to drive home Vaughn.

"Coach Perry told me to look for a first pitch fastball and I didn't get that. So I just wanted to wait until I could get a good pitch to hit. Brandon Vaughn and I talk a lot about keeping it simple when at the plate and that is what I did."

It was Tapia's third hit of the day and his lone RBI.

Freshman Justin Mulvaney came out resiliently in the ninth after giving up two of the three runs in the eighth, shutting down Chicago State to earn his first career win.
Mulvaney's final line was 2.0 innings pitched two hits and two earned runs. At the plate he was 0-1, but drew four walks and crossed the plate twice.

"I had all the confidence in my team and know no matter what as long as I get the ball in the zone and they (Chicago State) put it in play my defense will back me up," Mulvaney said.

At the plate, Vaughn had a day going 2-5, with two runs and five RBI. Four of his five RBI came off his third inning grand slam that gave the Bears a 4-2 lead. It is Northern Colorado's first grand slam since Nick Tanner hit one in 2013.

"All of our seniors have done a good job leading this team and making sure that we are keep on playing our game throughout the whole game," said head coach Carl Iwasaki.

Chicago State got the scoring going in the second inning by the lead-off hitter drawing a walk and Andy Gertonson hitting a two run home run to left field. Starter Chase Cleary (Arvada, Colo.) was able to get out of the inning with just that damage stranding two for CSU on-base.

Cleary went four strong innings giving up just those two runs on four hits and striking out three.

Chicago State started its comeback to take the lead late in the sixth inning. They got a man aboard with a single, and then another two run home run for the Cougars cut the
Bears lead to, 7-4. CSU tacked on another run in the inning to enter the final three innings down 7-5.

In the eighth the Cougars scored three more runs on three hits and two walks to take an, 8-7 lead, setting the table the UNC's comeback.

The teams will continue the three-game series tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. at Jackson Field.