@BearsSoftball and Southern Utah Split Day 1

Friday, March 24

Cedar City, UT

1:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

12-20, 0

Southern Utah University

5-16, 0

Northern Colorado

Southern Utah

3/24/2017 5:51:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Thomas Hoffman, uncbears.com

GAME 1 (PDF) | GAME 2 (PDF)

Cedar City, Utah – On a beautiful day in Utah Friday, softball fans were treated to two thrilling contests between Southern Utah and Northern Colorado. As both schools dueled all afternoon long, it seemed fitting they split the day with the Thunderbirds taking game one, 6-5, and the Bears besting SUU in game two, 10-9.

GAME 1
Defense ruled the first three innings on Friday's contest. Between the two schools, they had combined for five total hits heading into the top of the fourth inning.

It was no surprise for a Northern Colorado side that is second in the Big Sky Conference in put outs this season. Starting pitcher, Jayme Reddacliff trusted her stellar defenders and forced ground outs left and right to begin the game.

Southern Utah gave the Bears a bit of a dose of their own medicine early as well. Northern Colorado had their first scoring opportunity in the third inning, but two quick outs from the Thunderbirds moved the game to the next inning quickly.

Reddacliff's first blemish came in the top of the fourth inning, giving up a home run to the lead-off batter. A subsequent double gave SUU another runner in scoring position with nobody out. A second double, followed by a home run gave Southern Utah a 4-0 lead and prompted head coach Shana Easley to call Lauren Paige from the bullpen to finish the inning. Paige forced two quick outs, giving her offense a chance to chip away at the lead SUU had just created.

Northern Colorado's catcher went right to work in the fifth inning, notching a single through the left side. Cheyenne Talmadge followed with a single of her own and all of the sudden the Bears were in scoring position with no outs. In the next at-bat, Emily Holtz advanced both Coldiron and Talmadge, grounding out to the pitcher, serving up a perfect opportunity for Erica Dick.

Not about to let the moment pass her by, Dick doubled to left center driving in two. Two batters later, Rachel Johnson brought both Dick and herself in, launching a home run over the left field fence, tying the game at four.

Senior catcher, Adeline Coldiron was doing things from both sides of the plate. Not only did Coldiron represent the first run of the ballgame for Northern Colorado, the Loveland, Colorado, native was incredible from behind the plate as well. Twice, Coldiron picked off runners trying to steal second.

Leave it up to the freshman, Sophia Taylor to step up in the game's biggest moment. In her UNC career, Taylor had tallied a triple, double and 11 hits until Friday. In the top of the sixth inning she completed her career cycle, homering to centerfield to take the lead, 5-4.

Tragedy occured in the bottom half of the frame. After a single to lead-off the inning, a home run gave the lead right back to Southern Utah.

Despite advancing runners to second and third base in the top half of the seventh, Northern Colorado couldn't cross the plate to tie the game, giving UNC their first conference loss, 6-5.

GAME 2
Jordyn Wiatrak wasted no time in the Bears' second game helping UNC jump out to an early lead. After Rachel Johnson made it safely to first base on a walk, Wiatrak blasted a home run over the center field fence to give her team the 2-0 lead.

Southern Utah neatly picked up a run in the bottom half of the inning. A lead-off triple was quickly turned into a run after a sacrifice fly.

However, UNC went straight back to work in the second. After Adeline Coldiron drew a hit-by-pitch, Erica Dick brought her home two batters later on a fielder's choice, equaling their largest lead of the game, 3-1.

The Thunderbirds kept chirping back, taking advantage of that lead-off spot once again in the bottom of the second. On the first pitch she saw, Javlyn Weaver homered to left field, cutting into the lead, 3-2.

After each team held serve in the third inning. Northern Colorado looked to strike in the fourth. A single and a walk gave Kaley Garcia a chance to extend the UNC advantage, one that she wouldn't take lightly. Her deep fly ball to centerfield proved trouble as the Thunderbird error allowed Sophia Taylor to score from second.

Another walk infront of Erica Dick set up a perfect opportunity to break the game wide open. Erica calmly double to right center, driving in both Coldiron and Kenzie Kudra, who scooted all the way around from first. By the end of the inning, the Bears had a commanding, 6-2, lead.

Southern Utah bit back in the fourth inning, scoring two runs off a double to the gap in left center. Once again, the Thunderbirds has shrunk the gap, but the Bears till maintained their lead, 6-4.

Two straight singles in the fifth inning put UNC back in business to re-stretch their lead. Sophia Taylor stepped up big once again for coach Easley, singling down the left field line, giving the Blue and Gold the 7-4 advantage.

Fast forward to the seventh inning with the same 7-4 marks on the scoreboard, Kaley Garcia stepped to the plate with Coldiron and Holtz already at first and third. Much like Sophia Taylor, Kaley Garcia launched her first home run of the year, this one a three-run bomb, giving UNC their largest lead of the day, 10-4.

Bears fans grew anxious in the final frame, watching Southern Utah load the bases twice. As it turned out, Northern Colorado needed all of the insurance Kaley Garcia provided them in the top of the seventh. By the time Jayme Reddacliff came in to close out the contest, UNC surrendered five runs in the inning, but five wasn't good enough to beat them, taking their first Big Sky victory, 10-9.

KEY STAT
Home Runs – Each team won their game Friday by a single run, scoring 15 runs. Similarly, both teams notched four home runs a piece.

MOST VALUABLE BEAR
Adeline Coldiron – Coldiron went 2-4 (.500) at the plate with two walks and two hit-by-pitch's. She was also 1-1 in stolen bases, picked off two runners trying to steal second and led the team in four runs scored.

IN THEIR WORDS
Shana Easley, Head Coach
"Two close games but I'm glad to come out of the day with a split and a chance to win the series tomorrow."

NOTABLES
-Both Sophia Taylor and Kaley Garcia hit their first home runs of the season today. Taylor's was the first of her career.
-Nine different Bears scored runs Friday.
-UNC drew 12 walks compared to just the four they gave up.
-Sophia Taylor completed eight assists and two put outs without committing an error at second base.

UP NEXT
The Bears close out their series with the Thunderbird Saturday in Cedar City. First pitch is scheduled for 10AM MST. Northern Colorado's next home game is slated for April 7 against Weber State.