University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Sunday, February 26
Abilene, TX
10:00 AM
University of Northern Colorado
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Abilene Christian University
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Northern Colorado
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Abilene Christian
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Photo by: Rob Trubia
@BearsSoftball Earns Second Straight Win
2/26/2017 12:20:00 PM | Softball
BOX SCORE (PDF)
Abilene, Texas – Riding momentum from their third win of the season Saturday against Prairie View, Northern Colorado Softball picked up their second straight victory Sunday, defeating Abilene Christian, 5-3.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Charging right out of the gate, the NCAA triples leader from a season ago, Erica Dick, was up to her old tricks, leading off Sunday's get away game with the early extra-base hit. Dick was stranded sixty feet from scoring though, as the Wildcat defense held strong to retire the next three Bear batters.
Each team held serve in the second inning as both pitchers seemed to have found their groove in the circle.
An error by the Abilene defense allowed two Northern Colorado runners into scoring position in the third inning. Emily Holtz and Cheyenne Talmadge were each in scoring position with nobody out in the inning. Again, the Bears were kept waiting for the go-ahead run, when ACU retired three consecutive batters for the second time in three innings.
In the circle, starting pitcher, Jayme Reddacliff stayed in the groove she had found yesterday. Though the senior wasn't compiling strikeouts left and right like Saturday's game against Prairie View, she entrusted her defense to make plays, forcing eight groundouts and a fly out in the first three innings.
Reddacliff seemed to have control of the fourth inning and looked to strand another Abilene base runner. With two outs and a runner on second, a single to right field sent everyone in motion. Talmadge was able to pick off the runner trying to make their way to second base for the third out, but not before the lead runner crossed the plate, giving ACU the 1-0 lead.
The Wildcat's run seemed to have awoken the hibernating Bears offense in the top half of the fifth inning. Talmadge singled to lead off the inning and quickly stole second base to put UNC in scoring position. Dick wouldn't waste Northern Colorado's third scoring opportunity and drove in Talmadge with an RBI single.
Two batters later, Dick stood on second with Rachel Johnson at the plate and one out. The junior promptly launched a moon ball over the left center fence, pushing the Bears ahead by two. Not to be outdone, UNC's clean-up hitter, Jordyn Wiatrak, followed Johnson's long-ball with one of her own, smoking one to strait-away centerfield, giving her team the 4-1 advantage.
Things began to tighten in the bottom of sixth inning. With a two-run cushion, Reddacliff surrendered a single to start the inning. On the fourth pitch of the next at-bat in a 1-2 count, Peyton Hedrick launched a home run over the centerfield fence, drawing Abilene within one.
Insurance runs seemed out of the question after back-to-back strikeouts began the seventh inning. However, Abilene committed one of the deadly sins of softball, the two-out walk. Jumping on the chance to score another, Kaley Garcia entered the game as a pinch runner, making her way to second on a wild pitch. Alex Sonoqui notched her first hit of the game when it mattered most, bringing around Garcia and adding the invaluable run, stretching UNC's lead, 5-3.
It appeared as if Sonoqui's run might have meant the difference when the Wildcats doubled to start the bottom half of the inning. However, a cool, calm and collected Jayme Reddacliff neatly sat down the next three Abilene batters with a strikeout, groundout and fly out, allowing the Bears to pick up their second straight win of the season, 5-3.
KEY STAT
Total pitches – Jayme Reddacliff threw a complete game with 96 total pitches. UNC forced the Wildcat pitching staff to a total of 137.
MOST VALUABLE BEAR
Alex Sonoqui – The sophomore went 1-4 with an RBI and racked up three assists with no errors at second base.
IN THEIR WORDS
Shana Easley, Head Coach
"I'm really happy with the improvement we made today in our ability to compete will under pressure and make the necessary adjustments from the previous games this weekend. We were in several tight situations throughout the game and we were able to execute when needed."
NOTABLES
-Emily Holtz continues her hot hitting, now batting .355 on the season.
-Jayme Reddacliff pitched her second consecutive complete game.
-Northern Colorado recorded multiple home runs for the second straight contest.
-Erica Dick grabbed her first triple of the season, led the NCAA in triples per game last season.
-For another consecutive game, the UNC defense did not commit an error.
UP NEXT
Northern Colorado will play their first game in Colorado on Tuesday, February 28, at Colorado State. First pitch is set for 3PM MST.
Abilene, Texas – Riding momentum from their third win of the season Saturday against Prairie View, Northern Colorado Softball picked up their second straight victory Sunday, defeating Abilene Christian, 5-3.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Charging right out of the gate, the NCAA triples leader from a season ago, Erica Dick, was up to her old tricks, leading off Sunday's get away game with the early extra-base hit. Dick was stranded sixty feet from scoring though, as the Wildcat defense held strong to retire the next three Bear batters.
Each team held serve in the second inning as both pitchers seemed to have found their groove in the circle.
An error by the Abilene defense allowed two Northern Colorado runners into scoring position in the third inning. Emily Holtz and Cheyenne Talmadge were each in scoring position with nobody out in the inning. Again, the Bears were kept waiting for the go-ahead run, when ACU retired three consecutive batters for the second time in three innings.
In the circle, starting pitcher, Jayme Reddacliff stayed in the groove she had found yesterday. Though the senior wasn't compiling strikeouts left and right like Saturday's game against Prairie View, she entrusted her defense to make plays, forcing eight groundouts and a fly out in the first three innings.
Reddacliff seemed to have control of the fourth inning and looked to strand another Abilene base runner. With two outs and a runner on second, a single to right field sent everyone in motion. Talmadge was able to pick off the runner trying to make their way to second base for the third out, but not before the lead runner crossed the plate, giving ACU the 1-0 lead.
The Wildcat's run seemed to have awoken the hibernating Bears offense in the top half of the fifth inning. Talmadge singled to lead off the inning and quickly stole second base to put UNC in scoring position. Dick wouldn't waste Northern Colorado's third scoring opportunity and drove in Talmadge with an RBI single.
Two batters later, Dick stood on second with Rachel Johnson at the plate and one out. The junior promptly launched a moon ball over the left center fence, pushing the Bears ahead by two. Not to be outdone, UNC's clean-up hitter, Jordyn Wiatrak, followed Johnson's long-ball with one of her own, smoking one to strait-away centerfield, giving her team the 4-1 advantage.
Things began to tighten in the bottom of sixth inning. With a two-run cushion, Reddacliff surrendered a single to start the inning. On the fourth pitch of the next at-bat in a 1-2 count, Peyton Hedrick launched a home run over the centerfield fence, drawing Abilene within one.
Insurance runs seemed out of the question after back-to-back strikeouts began the seventh inning. However, Abilene committed one of the deadly sins of softball, the two-out walk. Jumping on the chance to score another, Kaley Garcia entered the game as a pinch runner, making her way to second on a wild pitch. Alex Sonoqui notched her first hit of the game when it mattered most, bringing around Garcia and adding the invaluable run, stretching UNC's lead, 5-3.
It appeared as if Sonoqui's run might have meant the difference when the Wildcats doubled to start the bottom half of the inning. However, a cool, calm and collected Jayme Reddacliff neatly sat down the next three Abilene batters with a strikeout, groundout and fly out, allowing the Bears to pick up their second straight win of the season, 5-3.
KEY STAT
Total pitches – Jayme Reddacliff threw a complete game with 96 total pitches. UNC forced the Wildcat pitching staff to a total of 137.
MOST VALUABLE BEAR
Alex Sonoqui – The sophomore went 1-4 with an RBI and racked up three assists with no errors at second base.
IN THEIR WORDS
Shana Easley, Head Coach
"I'm really happy with the improvement we made today in our ability to compete will under pressure and make the necessary adjustments from the previous games this weekend. We were in several tight situations throughout the game and we were able to execute when needed."
NOTABLES
-Emily Holtz continues her hot hitting, now batting .355 on the season.
-Jayme Reddacliff pitched her second consecutive complete game.
-Northern Colorado recorded multiple home runs for the second straight contest.
-Erica Dick grabbed her first triple of the season, led the NCAA in triples per game last season.
-For another consecutive game, the UNC defense did not commit an error.
UP NEXT
Northern Colorado will play their first game in Colorado on Tuesday, February 28, at Colorado State. First pitch is set for 3PM MST.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Reddacliff, Jayme (3-7)
L: Null, H. (3-7)
Batting:
3B: Dick, Erica 1
HR: Johnson, Rachel 1 ; Wiatrak, Jordyn 1
RBI: Dick, Erica 1 ; Johnson, Rachel 2 ; Wiatrak, Jordyn 1 ; Sonoqui, Alex 1
SH: Talmadge, Cheyenne 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dick, Erica 1 ; Johnson, Rachel 1 ; Wiatrak, Jordyn 1 ; Garcia, Kaley 1 ; Talmadge, Cheyenne 1
SB: Dick, Erica 1 ; Talmadge, Cheyenne 1
HBP: Coldiron, Adeline 1
Batting:
2B: Matise, N. 1
HR: Hedrick, P. 1
RBI: Hedrick, P. 2 ; Huff, C. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Spivey, A. 1 ; Hedrick, P. 1 ; Thornton, M. 1
HBP: Barnhill, B. 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballC/INF
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Wednesday, July 30
