@NCBearsBaseball Earn the Win in Their Home Opener

Friday, March 6

Greeley, Colo.

2:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

2-3

North Dakota State

1-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
North Dakota State	3	0	0	1	3	0	1	0	2	10	12	4
Northern Colorado	0	3	0	2	4	0	0	2	X	11	14	5

3/6/2015 7:31:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Northern Colorado baseball defeated North Dakota State in its home opener Friday afternoon

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo.—They didn't make it easy on themselves, but Northern Colorado (2-3) baseball picked up a win in its home opener Friday afternoon over North Dakota State, 11-10.

In the third one-run game of the season for UNC, The Bears and Bison (1-9) combined for 26 hits and nine errors in an entertaining first game of the season at Jackson Field. UNC roped 14 of those 26 hits.

"We will take the win in the left hand column today, but we need to clean up our game," said head coach Carl Iwasaki. "You could tell we had not been on the field for twelve days based on our defense."

Jensen Park (Kaneohe, Hawaii) had a great game for UNC going 4-5 with three RBI.

"Jensen is going to be our rock this year," Iwasaki said. "He does a great job of picking everyone up and had a great day today."

North Dakota State got the scoring going early, putting a three spot up in the first inning on three hits. UNC starter Alex Werbach (Brighton, Colo.) responded well though, giving up only two runs and three more hits over his four and one third innings pitched.

"Alex is mentally tough, they (NDSU) came out firing early and he just kept going out there and grinding getting it going for us on the mound," said Iwaskai.

Northern Colorado was able to respond quickly to the Bison's early runs with three of their own in the bottom of the second. Dan Reese (Casper, Wyo.) got the rally started with a leadoff double as UNC strung together five hits in its first six batters of the inning.

In the fourth and fifth inning UNC and NDSU combined for 10 runs and six errors. The biggest of those innings was the bottom of the fifth for the Bears who scored four runs and batted around the lineup.

It was once again the fifth through seventh whole hitters of Bryan Tibbitts (Westminister, Colo.), Reese and Jake Garcia (Albuquerque, N.M.) who set the table for the Bears offense. It was then Park who took advantage driving in two players on a screamer to right field, which was then misplayed allowing him to advance all the way to third.

The four run inning gave UNC the lead for good, but both teams would continue to make it interesting.

NDSU added another run in the seventh cutting Northern Colorado's lead to 9-8. The Bears responded with insurance runs in the eighth.

It started when Cole Maltese (Superior, Colo.) crushed a solo home run to the left-center gap, putting UNC up 10-8.

Nick Tanner (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) came in and pinched hit, drawing a walk, giving way to Reyn Sugai (Honolulu, Hawaii) as pinch runner.

Sugai created his own run, advancing to second on a defensive indifference, and then received help on an NDSU error by the catcher as he went to steal third, advancing home for the eventual game-winning run on the error.

"Cole Maltese did a good job finishing the day, he struggled early at the plate and made a routine error," said Iwasaki. "Give him credit though he kept playing the game and ended up getting a big hit for us."

North Dakota State did not go away quietly though. In the top of the ninth inning the Bison posted two runs and had the bases loaded before junior Dylan Shiraki (Honokaa, Hawaii) caught Drew Fearing looking to end the game.

The Bears and Bison will continue their four game series tomorrow at noon with a doubleheader at Jackson Field.

"We will look at it as one game at a time," Iwasaki said. "I tell the guys we just need to play our best baseball and play the game our way and I think we will be just fine all year long."