Hornets Take Two on Friday From @BearsSoftball

Friday, April 28

Sacramento, CA

1:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

19-31, 7-9

Sacramento State

16-25-1, 6-9

Northern Colorado

Sacramento State

4/28/2017 6:38:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Thomas Hoffman, uncbears.com

GAME 1 (PDF) | GAME 2 (PDF)

Sacramento, Calif – With winds whipping in California, the home field advantage played in favor of the Hornets Friday, as Sacramento State took two off the Bears, 3-2 and 3-0 in a double-header affair.

GAME 1
The first two innings, though reading zeros on the scoreboard, told two different stories. In the opening frame, both Jayme Reddacliff and Sacramento State left the other's offense speechless, going 1-2-3 to open the game. Defensively, both teams had to be a bit more resilient, stranding runners in scoring situations to keep the game level.

As the lineup turned over in the top of the third inning, Erica Dick smashed a double to left field, allowing the speedy Kenzie Kudrna to score all the way from first. The single run was all that UNC to draw, ending their two-out rally, but carrying the early 1-0 lead.

Northern Colorado put pressure on the Hornets once again in the fourth inning via a one-out double from Jordyn Wiatrak. However, a pair of outs from Sac State left the Bears waiting.

Defense led the way again for UNC in the bottom half of the frame. With a runner on and nobody out, Reddacliff forced a grounder to the freshman, Sophia Taylor, who flipped it to Erica Dick who turned the first 6-4-3 double play for Northern Colorado this season, firing it over to Rachel Johnson. Over half way through game one, the Blue and Gold led, 1-0.

Shana Easley's crew continued to mount attacks offensively, loading the bases in the fifth inning. Though pinch hitter, Kelli Kleis, couldn't tag one into the outfield, Kaley Garcia patiently drew a walk to extend the Bears' lead to 2-0 after four and a half frames.

A fielding error led to Sacramento State's first legitimate scoring chance in the bottom half of the fifth. With one out and a Hornet runner standing at second, Sacramento State utilized a double to right center to score their first run. UNC's second error of the game, and the inning, allowed a second run from the hornets, tying the game at two. Two batters later, Sacramento State took the lead off their third hit of the game, 3-2.

Lauren Paige and Sophia Taylor put together a walk and a single, respectively, in the sixth inning with only one out. Northern Colorado failed to produce any further offense, though, stranding both Paige and Taylor, carrying their 3-2 deficit another inning.

Jayme Reddacliff kept up her end of the bargain, sending the Hornets down in order during the bottom of the sixth. Fellow senior, Erica Dick came up huge to start the seventh, making her way to third off an error in right field. Dick was caught at home, though, when Kaley Garcia singled to center field.

With two outs and Kaley Garcia standing at second, it was down to Jordyn Wiatrak to keep the game alive for UNC. Waitrak couldn't supply the same double she notched earlier in the game, as Sacramento State went on to win game one, 3-2.

GAME 2
After a quiet top half of the first inning, Sacramento State came out firing in the bottom end. Three hits and an UNC error led to one run, allowing the Hornets to take the lead, 1-0.

Jordyn Wiatrak came right back with a double in the second inning, though, advancing to third after a wild pitch. The third baseman would get stuck at her own position after back-to-back strikeouts and Sacramento State's lead remained 1-0.

The Hornets put the pressure on once again in the third inning. With runners on second and third and only one out, starting pitcher, Valerie Vidal came up big with two giant strikeouts to end the inning and keep UNC within one.

Kaley Garcia made her way to second base after a single and wild pitch. However, neither Johnson or Paige could send her home, keeping the gap at 1-0.

Two walks gave Valerie Vidal a little trouble to deal with in the fourth inning. The inning's only hit gave Vidal her first earned run of the game, but vaulted the Hornets up 2-0 with three innings left on the afternoon.

Threatening to break the game open in the fifth inning, Sacramento State had runners at second and third with one. Vidal and her defense dug their heels in, forcing a strikeout and fly out to end the inning, staying within two.

A lead-off single and a hit-by-pitch had the Hornets swarming once again in the sixth. Northern Colorado managed to grab their third double play of the day, but not before Sacramento State plated another run to make it 3-0.

Lauren Paige and Sophia Taylor kept the spark alive in the final inning, both garnering singles. After Emily Holtz moved both Paige and Taylor over with a sacrifice bunt, it was up to Adeline Coldiron to keep the game going. It wasn't to be Friday in Sacramento for the Bears, as Coldiron went down on strikes, giving the Hornets their second win of the day, 3-0.

KEY STAT
Errors – Northern Colorado committed four errors on the day compared to the Hornets' two.

MOST VALUABLE BEAR
Kaley Garcia – Garcia went 3-6 (.500) with an RBI and a walk Friday.

IN THEIR WORDS
Shana Easley, Head Coach
"With our pitching and defense keeping up in both of those game, we've got to adjust better offensively, having aggressive mindsets against their pitchers. We can't expect to win games with poor at-bats and need to make it happen tomorrow."

NOTABLES
-Northern Colorado set a new single-season record for assists, now with 518 and climbing.
-Kenzie Kudrna scored the only two runs for UNC on the day.
-Jayme Reddacliff has continued her streak with no earned runs, now with 23.
-Valerie Vidal pitched her first complete game of 2017, giving up just two earned runs and striking out four.

UP NEXT
UNC and Sacramento State finish up their series on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 12pm Pacific Standard Time. The Bears will be back for the final Big Sky series of the year at home against Idaho State on Friday, May 5.