University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Friday, April 21
Greeley, CO
1:00 pm
University of Northern Colorado
17-30, 5-8
16
vs
1
University of North Dakota
19-26, 4-7
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
North Dakota
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
5
Northern Colorado
9
5
0
2
X
16
12
2
Photo by: Ed Navarro
Cold Weather Fuels @BearsSoftball to a Pair of Victories
4/21/2017 7:41:00 PM | Softball
GAME 1 (PDF) | GAME 2 (PDF)
Greeley, Colo – It was less than ideal conditions at Gloria Rodriguez Field for the Bears on Friday afternoon, but Shana Easley's team didn't care. Even though a delay knocked the start time back an hour, UNC pulled away with two victories, 16-1 and 2-1, over North Dakota in a pivotal Big Sky Conference match up.
GAME 1
Two errors on the same play in the top half of the first inning from the Bears allowed a Fighting Hawk runner reach second with two outs. UND would come through with a hit, taking the lead momentarily, 1-0.
Erica Dick desperately wanted that run back. The senior led the inning off with a double to right field, standing in scoring position with nobody out. When Cheyenne Talmadge walked, the speedster immediately headed for second. In safely, the UND catcher's throw ballooned into the outfield allowing Erica Dick to make her way home and tie the game at one.
From there, the wheels began to fall off the tracks for North Dakota. Five errors, combined with four Northern Colorado hits and suddenly, UNC not only had the lead, but a commanding one at 9-1.
Lead in hand, Jayme Reddacliff wasn't going to let this win out of her sight, especially with her parents in from Australia to witness the Bears' career wins leader. In the second and third innings, Reddacliff made quick work of the Fighting Hawks, rarely giving them a glimpse of a hit, let alone crossing home plate.
Offensively, UNC kept it in high gear. Lauren Paige kicked off the second frame with a double to right field. When Emily Holtz came in as a pinch runner, she quickly made her journey around the base pads, advancing on a wild pitch, then scoring off a Sophia Taylor RBI single.
The inning continued, and this time it was all Northern Colorado offense.
Kelli Kleis and Jordyn Wiatrak both tallied RBI singles, not to mention and RBI walk from Kaley Garcia. Four hits brought across five more UNC runs and the lead went from eight to a cool 13 at, 14-1.
In the fourth inning, and with a commanding lead, Shana Easley called in Valerie Vidal to finish off the Fighting Hawks in game one. In two innings of work, Vidal gave up only a single hit, struck out four and most importantly, didn't surrender a run.
Kenzie Kudrna, Cheyenne Talmadge and Kaley Garcia all notched base hits in the fourth inning, producing two more insurance runs for Northern Colorado.
When the final out was recorded, the Bears needed only five innings to take the first of three games against North Dakota, 16-1.
GAME 2
While the offense was rolling for UNC in game one, game two told a little different story for both sides.
Jayme Reddacliff, having pitched only three innings in game one, got the nod to start game two as well. In the opening frame, Reddacliff was up to her old tricks, allowing just one hit.
Stranding runners became a bit of a specialty in game two for the Bears. In the second inning, a walk followed by a base hit provided two base runners for the Fighting Hawks. However, back-to-back grounders to third and short put another zero on the board in the away column.
Jordyn Wiatrak led the bottom half of the inning off with a single, allowing a spot for Cheyenne Talmadge to come in to pinch run. Perfect in each of her steal attempts in 2017, there was little doubt Talmadge would edge the catcher's attempt to catch her stealing. Talmadge inevitably made her way to third thanks to Sophia Taylor advancing both her and Lauren Paige. In the next at-bat, UND's fourth wild pitch of the game let Talmadge cruise home and the Bears pulled ahead, 1-0.
North Dakota struck back the third inning when an error and a double led to their first run since the first inning of game one. Again, the Bears' defense dug their heals inn, keeping UND at bay, allowing just the single run.
Tied at one a piece, game two turned in to quite the pitcher's duel.Â
Jayme Reddacliff went toe-to-toe with the Fighting Hawk's Hannah Bergh. Neither side seemed to blink between innings four through seven. Each pitcher gave up less than five hits in that span as well as no runs, sending the game into extra innings.
Having pitched brilliantly in game one, Valerie Vidal came on to pitch the first extra frame of game two. Vidal made quick work of the Fighting Hawks, forcing a groundout and two pop outs to give her offense a crack at the plate.
Kaley Garcia, having a monstrous day already, singled to right field to start things off. Two batters later, Lauren Paige wore one for the team and now UNC had two runners with only one out. Up stepped Rachel Johnson. With the count full and the Northern Colorado faithful's anxiety brewing, Johnson rocketed a double off the wall, allowing Garcia to make it home easily from second and the Bears took game two in thrilling fashion, 2-1.
KEY STAT
Total Bases – Northern Colorado put up 24 total bases in two games against UND, compared to just 13.
MOST VALUABLE BEAR
Rachel Johnson – Johnson went 3-6 (.500) on the day with a double, triple, two runs, three RBI and the game-winning hit in game two.
IN THEIR WORDS
Shana Easley, Head Coach
"Some of those plays they were making in the outfield during that second game, it could have gone either way. As soon as I saw Rachel's hit drop, I knew we were going. I had no doubt Kaley (Garcia) would get there."
"In conference, every game is critical for us to come out and be successful. Today, these wins are crucial for us to advance to the postseason."
Rachel Johnson, First baseman
"She had been throwing me middle away and middle in, I was just trying to stay patient for my pitch to hit, and I found it."
NOTABLES
-UNC is now 2-0 in extra-inning games during Big Sky play.
-Kelli Kleis saw two plate appearance, earning hits in each, including one RBI.
-Both Jayme Reddacliff and Valerie Vidal did not surrender a single earned run Friday.
-Adeline Coldiron picked off her third runner at first base. She remains the only Big Sky catcher to perform such a feat.
UP NEXT
Northern Colorado and North Dakota finish up their series tomorrow at 2PM. The game wraps up UNC's "Super Saturday" that includes the Women's Walk, Women's Tennis' match against Oral Roberts, Football's Spring Game and Soccer's Alumni Game.
Greeley, Colo – It was less than ideal conditions at Gloria Rodriguez Field for the Bears on Friday afternoon, but Shana Easley's team didn't care. Even though a delay knocked the start time back an hour, UNC pulled away with two victories, 16-1 and 2-1, over North Dakota in a pivotal Big Sky Conference match up.
GAME 1
Two errors on the same play in the top half of the first inning from the Bears allowed a Fighting Hawk runner reach second with two outs. UND would come through with a hit, taking the lead momentarily, 1-0.
Erica Dick desperately wanted that run back. The senior led the inning off with a double to right field, standing in scoring position with nobody out. When Cheyenne Talmadge walked, the speedster immediately headed for second. In safely, the UND catcher's throw ballooned into the outfield allowing Erica Dick to make her way home and tie the game at one.
From there, the wheels began to fall off the tracks for North Dakota. Five errors, combined with four Northern Colorado hits and suddenly, UNC not only had the lead, but a commanding one at 9-1.
Lead in hand, Jayme Reddacliff wasn't going to let this win out of her sight, especially with her parents in from Australia to witness the Bears' career wins leader. In the second and third innings, Reddacliff made quick work of the Fighting Hawks, rarely giving them a glimpse of a hit, let alone crossing home plate.
Offensively, UNC kept it in high gear. Lauren Paige kicked off the second frame with a double to right field. When Emily Holtz came in as a pinch runner, she quickly made her journey around the base pads, advancing on a wild pitch, then scoring off a Sophia Taylor RBI single.
The inning continued, and this time it was all Northern Colorado offense.
Kelli Kleis and Jordyn Wiatrak both tallied RBI singles, not to mention and RBI walk from Kaley Garcia. Four hits brought across five more UNC runs and the lead went from eight to a cool 13 at, 14-1.
In the fourth inning, and with a commanding lead, Shana Easley called in Valerie Vidal to finish off the Fighting Hawks in game one. In two innings of work, Vidal gave up only a single hit, struck out four and most importantly, didn't surrender a run.
Kenzie Kudrna, Cheyenne Talmadge and Kaley Garcia all notched base hits in the fourth inning, producing two more insurance runs for Northern Colorado.
When the final out was recorded, the Bears needed only five innings to take the first of three games against North Dakota, 16-1.
GAME 2
While the offense was rolling for UNC in game one, game two told a little different story for both sides.
Jayme Reddacliff, having pitched only three innings in game one, got the nod to start game two as well. In the opening frame, Reddacliff was up to her old tricks, allowing just one hit.
Stranding runners became a bit of a specialty in game two for the Bears. In the second inning, a walk followed by a base hit provided two base runners for the Fighting Hawks. However, back-to-back grounders to third and short put another zero on the board in the away column.
Jordyn Wiatrak led the bottom half of the inning off with a single, allowing a spot for Cheyenne Talmadge to come in to pinch run. Perfect in each of her steal attempts in 2017, there was little doubt Talmadge would edge the catcher's attempt to catch her stealing. Talmadge inevitably made her way to third thanks to Sophia Taylor advancing both her and Lauren Paige. In the next at-bat, UND's fourth wild pitch of the game let Talmadge cruise home and the Bears pulled ahead, 1-0.
North Dakota struck back the third inning when an error and a double led to their first run since the first inning of game one. Again, the Bears' defense dug their heals inn, keeping UND at bay, allowing just the single run.
Tied at one a piece, game two turned in to quite the pitcher's duel.Â
Jayme Reddacliff went toe-to-toe with the Fighting Hawk's Hannah Bergh. Neither side seemed to blink between innings four through seven. Each pitcher gave up less than five hits in that span as well as no runs, sending the game into extra innings.
Having pitched brilliantly in game one, Valerie Vidal came on to pitch the first extra frame of game two. Vidal made quick work of the Fighting Hawks, forcing a groundout and two pop outs to give her offense a crack at the plate.
Kaley Garcia, having a monstrous day already, singled to right field to start things off. Two batters later, Lauren Paige wore one for the team and now UNC had two runners with only one out. Up stepped Rachel Johnson. With the count full and the Northern Colorado faithful's anxiety brewing, Johnson rocketed a double off the wall, allowing Garcia to make it home easily from second and the Bears took game two in thrilling fashion, 2-1.
KEY STAT
Total Bases – Northern Colorado put up 24 total bases in two games against UND, compared to just 13.
MOST VALUABLE BEAR
Rachel Johnson – Johnson went 3-6 (.500) on the day with a double, triple, two runs, three RBI and the game-winning hit in game two.
IN THEIR WORDS
Shana Easley, Head Coach
"Some of those plays they were making in the outfield during that second game, it could have gone either way. As soon as I saw Rachel's hit drop, I knew we were going. I had no doubt Kaley (Garcia) would get there."
"In conference, every game is critical for us to come out and be successful. Today, these wins are crucial for us to advance to the postseason."
Rachel Johnson, First baseman
"She had been throwing me middle away and middle in, I was just trying to stay patient for my pitch to hit, and I found it."
NOTABLES
-UNC is now 2-0 in extra-inning games during Big Sky play.
-Kelli Kleis saw two plate appearance, earning hits in each, including one RBI.
-Both Jayme Reddacliff and Valerie Vidal did not surrender a single earned run Friday.
-Adeline Coldiron picked off her third runner at first base. She remains the only Big Sky catcher to perform such a feat.
UP NEXT
Northern Colorado and North Dakota finish up their series tomorrow at 2PM. The game wraps up UNC's "Super Saturday" that includes the Women's Walk, Women's Tennis' match against Oral Roberts, Football's Spring Game and Soccer's Alumni Game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Reddacliff, Jayme (10-16)
L: VanDomelen, Kaylin (10-13)
Batting:
RBI: Nadler, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: VanDomelen, Kaylin 1
HBP: Cervantez, Autumn 1
Batting:
2B: Dick, Erica 1 ; Paige, Lauren 1
3B: Johnson, Rachel 1
RBI: Kleis, Kelli 1 ; Garcia, Kaley 2 ; Wiatrak, Jordyn 3 ; Paige, Lauren 1 ; Johnson, Rachel 2 ; Taylor, Sophia 1 ; Kudrna, Kenzie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dick, Erica 2 ; Talmadge, Cheyenne 3 ; Garcia, Kaley 1 ; Wiatrak, Jordyn 1 ; Paige, Lauren 1 ; Holtz, Emily 1 ; Johnson, Rachel 2 ; Taylor, Sophia 2 ; Coldiron, Adeline 1 ; Kudrna, Kenzie 2
SB: Talmadge, Cheyenne 2 ; Taylor, Sophia 1 ; Kudrna, Kenzie 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/UTL
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF/P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballC/INF
/ SoftballWomen's Walk Recap 2025
Wednesday, July 30
