Hamilton Has Stellar Performance as @NCBearsBaseball Splits Doubleheader

Friday, February 24

Stockton, Calif.

1:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

2-5

BYU

3-3

Brigham Young

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Wichita State Athletic Deparment

2/24/2017 9:07:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Aaron Hamilton struck out a program record tying 14 batters as UNC split its doubleheader against BYU and SJSU

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

STOCKTON, Calif. – Northern Colorado saw one of the most dominate pitching performances in its history during the night cap of its doubleheader against BYU and San Jose State Friday. The Bears' Aaron Hamilton tied a program record with 14 strikeouts in a complete game shutout 1-0 win over San Jose State. The performance came after UNC dropped the first game to BYU in extras 10-9.

Game 1

How It Happened
Northern Colorado made sure to take care of its opportunities on Friday, getting out to a quick start. Dean Lawson and Nick Tanner walked to begin the bottom half of the first for the Bears and then they loaded the bases when Cole Maltese reached on an error.

Jack Pauley pushed the first run of the game across for UNC when he walked with the bases loaded. The Bears continued to put pressure on BYU early, keeping the bases loaded through most of the inning, scoring three more runs to be up 4-0 through one.

The Cougars ended up getting on the board in the third when Bronson Larsen hit a solo home run.

Both offenses were held quiet, minus a Brett Minnick solo home run in the fifth, until the sixth inning when the teams combined for seven runs.

It began in the top of the frame as BYU got to a fatiguing Keenan Lum. Brigham Young loaded the bases with one out, and started its five run rally with a two-RBI double by Brennon Anderson, and added another pair with a double from Daniel Schneemann. The Cougars who entered the inning down 5-1, exited their half of it up 6-5.

That lead did not last long though, as Payton Tapia hit his first home run of the season to leadoff the inning. Cole Maltese then put Northern Colorado back on top with a no doubt shot to left field with two outs making it a 7-6 game. The rally continued for UNC as they loaded the bases, but ended up leaving them that way.

BYU reclaimed the lead in the eighth when Larson hit his second home run of the game, this one a two-run shot to go up 8-7 going to the stretch. They added on an insurance run in the eighth.

UNC didn't say die though as Evan Johnson walked to begin the ninth. The team then took advantage of a pair of Cougar errors, first when Tapia reached on an infield single down the third base line, advancing another base on the throwing error by pitcher Riley Gates putting a pair of runner in scoring position.

It was another error by BYU that allowed Dean Lawson to reach, this time by the shortstop Schneemann, scoring Johnson. Lawson was able to steal second, and then Tapia came home on a wild pitch to tie game and force extras.

BYU had its leadoff hitter in the 10th in Brock Hale reach when he was hit by a pitch. He stole second and scored what would be game-winning run on an RBI single from Colton Shaver to put the Cougars up 10-9.

Northern Colorado would go down in order to end the game.

Game Changer
A pair of doubles brought BYU back into the game when they were trailing 5-1. Brennon Anderson and Daniel Schneemann delivered the big hits for the Cougars, each bringing home two runs with it. Another run would be scored during the key sixth inning for the Cougars putting them back in the game, and eventually taking the lead.

Game 2

How It Happened
It was a pitchers' dual Friday night between Northern Colorado's Aaron Hamilton and San Jose State's Graham Gomez. The two pitchers had a stretch in which they combined to retire 11 straight batters.

Hamilton completely shut down the Spartans offense, retiring 21 straight batters from the final out in the second, until the next to last out in the game.

While Hamilton was dealing, UNC's offense tried to put some runs on the board for their pitcher. They were unable to though until the ninth, leaving a pair on in the third, and one on in both the sixth and seventh.

Entering the final inning tied at nine, Northern Colorado came up with the heart of its lineup. Cole Maltese started the rally with a bunt single down the third base line to lead off the inning. He was sacrificed over by Jack Pauley and the Bears ended up loading the bases after a Brett Minnick and Evan Johnson walk.

Tyler Yamaguchi stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases full of Bears looking to get that critical run. He worked the count, until he hit a high chopper up the middle for an infield single that scored Maltese.

That would be all the offense UNC needed as Hamilton finished the game with a strikeout to tie the program record at 14, and secure the Bears win.

Game Changer
Aaron Hamilton had the best pitching performance in a long time for the Northern Colorado program, throwing a complete game, two-hit shutout. The most impressive number on his line was the 14 strike outs. That matched a program record set by Donnie Alexander in 1993. It was the team's first complete game since Christ Hammer in 2014, and first shutout since Nate Steinmetz in 2012.

Notable
- The long ball has been a big part of the Bears offense this season, and it continued in the first game of the double header as they hit three in it. Brett Minnick and Cole Maltese both hit their second of the season while Payton Tapia hit his first.
- Five different Bears recorded a multi-hit game against BYU, led by Cole Maltese and Jack Pauley with three apiece.
- After UNC and BYU combined for 30 hits in the first game, SJSU and the Bears had just seven hits in the night cap.

Quotable
Head Coach Carl Iwasaki
"That was the greatest effort from a starting pitcher in my seven years at the helm tonight by Aaron (Hamilton). He was locked in from the first pitch to the last strikeout. We played resilient baseball today from game one against BYU featuring four lead changes in 10 innings to competing another nine tough innings in the night cap against San Jose State. I am proud of how we responded after the close loss to BYU. The team has the attitude and effort to make strides in the WAC in four weeks when play begins. We are looking forward to competing tomorrow to finish this California road trip on a strong note.

What's Next?
The Bears close out their road trip to begin the season with one final game against San Jose State. UNC and SJSU will face each other at 11 am MT at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton.