University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, April 8
Greeley, Colo.
2 pm
University of Northern Colorado
12-16, 4-4
11
vs
10
Seattle
10-19-1, 2-6
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Seattle
0
1
1
1
3
0
1
3
0
10
16
2
Northern Colorado
0
1
0
0
0
4
6
0
X
11
15
2
@NCBearsBaseball Offense Explodes Late in Comeback Win
4/8/2017 7:02:00 PM | Baseball
Northern Colorado scored 10 runs in the sixth and seventh to earn an 11-10 win
GREELEY – It's almost repetitive to call it a comeback for this team, but Northern Colorado baseball scored 10 runs over the sixth and seventh inning, to earn an 11-10 comeback win over Seattle on Saturday afternoon.
How It Happened
Seattle scored first in the game with a run in the second inning. They had back-to-back singles to put runners on the corner to begin the inning. Griffin Andreychuck came home to score on the double play that UNC turned with no out to make it a 1-0 game.
UNC responded in the bottom half of the inning though. With two outs, Matt Burkart started a two-out rally, with a single. He advanced to third on another single, this one by Corey Nakakura. The Redhawks looked to be out of the inning, but an error by Andreychuck allowed Burkart to score and even the game at one.
Seattle reclaimed the lead in the third with a run, and proceeded to score another run in the fourth, and then went up five with a three run fifth. That's when UNC's comeback began.
Jack Pauley started the work for the Bears, with a five pitch walk to lead off walk. It didn't take long for him to come home, when Brett Minnick launched a two-run homer over the left center wall to bring Northern Colorado within three. The next two batters reached, before an out was recorded. Tyler Yamaguchi singled up the middle to make it a run one game, as Burkart and Payton Tapia who were on second and third scored.
The Redhawks pushed its lead back to two in the top of the seventh, but then the Northern Colorado offense really exploded. Evan Johnson led off the inning with a single through the left side. Jack Pauley and Minnick then singled and walked to load the bases for Burkart. The freshman didn't let the moment get to him as he delivered a big two-RBI double to the right field wall evening the game at seven.
Tapia then gave the team the lead on a bloop single to left field, all of this happening with just one out. Alex Kiel extended the lead to two with a great squeeze bunt down the first base side into no man's land. Northern Colorado ended up batting around during the seventh, scoring six runs on seven hits, taking the lead 11-7.
Seattle kept battling though, scoring three in the eighth, all unearned on part to a Bears fielding error.
Anthony Brady came in and shut the door on the ninth, with a three up, three down inning to complete the comeback win for UNC.
Game Changer
It was essentially a hometown hero who came through with the big hit Saturday. Matt Burkart, the Eaton native, doesn't look like a freshman when he's out on the field for the Bears. His calm and confident composure paid off for the team during the big seventh inning. He worked a full count, and then delivered with the game-tying hit to the right field wall.
Notable
- Eight of the nine Northern Colorado batters had at least one hit in the game. Johnson and Burkart led the way with three each.
- It has been a big offensive series so far, after the teams combined for 24 runs and 35 hits Friday, they had 21 runs and 31 hits on Saturday.
- Connor Leedholm was scheduled to start tomorrow, but was needed in a big way for UNC Saturday. He delivered for the team going 2.0 strong innings allowing three runs, all unearned on three hits. His strong effort ended up earning him the win.
Quotable
Head coach Carl Iwasaki
"My heart rate is fine according to my heart doctor, so I am able to survive these games. I told the guys before the game we are who we are. We are a gritty, hard playing team that will not quit. We still have to work on putting up zeros after we score runs in an inning. We have the offense to come back and win games with 11 runs scored. This team knows they can be really good once we get the pitching nailed down. We have the chance to take the series tomorrow, and we are looking to it. I love coaching these guys and coming to the ballpark everyday with them"
What's Next?
The Bears and Redhawks close out the three-game series on Sunday with a Noon first pitch. Karver Pate will be on the bump for UNC, while Seattle's starter is TBA
How It Happened
Seattle scored first in the game with a run in the second inning. They had back-to-back singles to put runners on the corner to begin the inning. Griffin Andreychuck came home to score on the double play that UNC turned with no out to make it a 1-0 game.
UNC responded in the bottom half of the inning though. With two outs, Matt Burkart started a two-out rally, with a single. He advanced to third on another single, this one by Corey Nakakura. The Redhawks looked to be out of the inning, but an error by Andreychuck allowed Burkart to score and even the game at one.
Seattle reclaimed the lead in the third with a run, and proceeded to score another run in the fourth, and then went up five with a three run fifth. That's when UNC's comeback began.
Jack Pauley started the work for the Bears, with a five pitch walk to lead off walk. It didn't take long for him to come home, when Brett Minnick launched a two-run homer over the left center wall to bring Northern Colorado within three. The next two batters reached, before an out was recorded. Tyler Yamaguchi singled up the middle to make it a run one game, as Burkart and Payton Tapia who were on second and third scored.
The Redhawks pushed its lead back to two in the top of the seventh, but then the Northern Colorado offense really exploded. Evan Johnson led off the inning with a single through the left side. Jack Pauley and Minnick then singled and walked to load the bases for Burkart. The freshman didn't let the moment get to him as he delivered a big two-RBI double to the right field wall evening the game at seven.
Tapia then gave the team the lead on a bloop single to left field, all of this happening with just one out. Alex Kiel extended the lead to two with a great squeeze bunt down the first base side into no man's land. Northern Colorado ended up batting around during the seventh, scoring six runs on seven hits, taking the lead 11-7.
Seattle kept battling though, scoring three in the eighth, all unearned on part to a Bears fielding error.
Anthony Brady came in and shut the door on the ninth, with a three up, three down inning to complete the comeback win for UNC.
Game Changer
It was essentially a hometown hero who came through with the big hit Saturday. Matt Burkart, the Eaton native, doesn't look like a freshman when he's out on the field for the Bears. His calm and confident composure paid off for the team during the big seventh inning. He worked a full count, and then delivered with the game-tying hit to the right field wall.
Notable
- Eight of the nine Northern Colorado batters had at least one hit in the game. Johnson and Burkart led the way with three each.
- It has been a big offensive series so far, after the teams combined for 24 runs and 35 hits Friday, they had 21 runs and 31 hits on Saturday.
- Connor Leedholm was scheduled to start tomorrow, but was needed in a big way for UNC Saturday. He delivered for the team going 2.0 strong innings allowing three runs, all unearned on three hits. His strong effort ended up earning him the win.
Quotable
Head coach Carl Iwasaki
"My heart rate is fine according to my heart doctor, so I am able to survive these games. I told the guys before the game we are who we are. We are a gritty, hard playing team that will not quit. We still have to work on putting up zeros after we score runs in an inning. We have the offense to come back and win games with 11 runs scored. This team knows they can be really good once we get the pitching nailed down. We have the chance to take the series tomorrow, and we are looking to it. I love coaching these guys and coming to the ballpark everyday with them"
What's Next?
The Bears and Redhawks close out the three-game series on Sunday with a Noon first pitch. Karver Pate will be on the bump for UNC, while Seattle's starter is TBA
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Leedholm, Connor (1-2)
L: Oldenberg, Tyler (1-1)
S: Brady, Anthony (4)
Batting:
2B: Andreychuck, Griffin 1 ; Perrin, Curtis 1
3B: Ciancio, Michael 1
RBI: Hurd, Dalton 4 ; Lively, Austin 1 ; Wells, Chase 1 ; Andreychuck, Griffin 1 ; Ciancio, Michael 1 ; Murphy, Kyler 1
SH: Lively, Austin 1 ; Murphy, Kyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hurd, Dalton 1 ; Stroosma, Aaron 2 ; Wells, Chase 1 ; Andreychuck, Griffin 1 ; Sutton, Sean 1 ; Ciancio, Michael 2 ; Perrin, Curtis 2
SB: Stroosma, Aaron 3
HBP: Wells, Chase 1
Batting:
2B: Johnson, Evan 1 ; Burkart, Matt 1
HR: Minnick, Brett 1
RBI: Tanner, Nick 1 ; Minnick, Brett 2 ; Burkart, Matt 2 ; Tapia, Payton 1 ; Kiel, Alex 2 ; Yamaguchi, Tyler 3
SF: Yamaguchi, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, Evan 1 ; Pauley, Jack 2 ; Minnick, Brett 2 ; Burkart, Matt 3 ; Tapia, Payton 2 ; Kiel, Alex 1
SB: Tapia, Payton 1 ; Kiel, Alex 1
CS: Pauley, Jack 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballINF
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