@NCBearsBaseball Punches Ticket to WAC Tournament

Friday, May 19

Pueblo, Colo.

1:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

21-28, 9-14

Chicago State

11-40, 7-16

Chicago State

Northern Colorado

5/19/2017 4:26:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Northern Colorado baseball punched its ticket to the WAC Tournament behind Aaron Hamilton's arm and hot bats

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

PUEBLO, Colo. – Northern Colorado baseball punched its ticket to Mesa, Arizona next week and the WAC Tournament with a 9-1 win over Chicago State. The Bears used another overall team performance to earn the win, including seven innings of shutout baseball from Aaron Hamilton.

How It Happened
The Bears got on the board right way in the first when Alex Kiel doubled during the second at bat of the game. Jack Pauley drove him home with a sharply hit single through the right side, putting UNC up 1-0 after one.

Northern Colorado scored another run in the second as Matt Burkart started a rally with a double of his own down the right field line. Dean Lawson then singled to left, when Chicago State's left fielder misplayed the ball allowing Burkart to score on the play.

The lead was extended to 4-0 in the third. Just like Thursday, it was a two-out rally for UNC. Alex Kiel and Cole Maltese were on first and second following a walk and single when Brett Minnick hit his 24th double of the season to score Kiel. Evan Johnson was hit by a pitch to load up the bases. Freshman Matt Burkart then showed patience at the plate, drawing the walk to add on another run.

Chicago State threatened in the fourth by loading the bases, but starter Aaron Hamilton and the Bears got out of it with a strike out and ground out. CSU loaded the bases again in the sixth, missing out again as Hamilton got a short fly ball to left, and a fielder's choice ground out.

After the offense was quiet for a couple innings, UNC scored a combined five runs in the sixth and seventh innings. It was Burkart who started the rally in the fifth. He came home to score on a Nick Tanner single, while Tyler Yamaguchi later came home on a sacrifice fly to left field.

In the seventh, UNC saw Brett Minnick lead off with a single. Following a strike out, the next five Bears reached safely on four hits and an error to score the three runs and make it a 9-0 game.
Chicago State loaded the bases in the ninth and scored one run, but that was it for a comeback effort.

Game Changer
For the second straight day, Northern Colorado received a seven-inning shutout performance from its starter. This time it came from righty Aaron Hamilton. The Bears junior allowed just seven hits and two walks while striking out four, and keeping Chicago State of the board.

Notable
- The win punched Northern Colorado's ticket to the WAC Tournament next week in Mesa, Arizona. UNC will play in the first round on Wednesday May 24 against a to be determined opponent and time.
- Matt Burkart stepped into the lineup as the designated hitter Friday afternoon, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored an RBI and a walk.
- UNC held Chicago State scoreless for the first 17 2/3 innings of the series. The Cougars did not score a run until there were two outs in the ninth on Friday.

Quotable
Associate Head Coach and Pitching Coach RD Spiehs
"Aaron Hamilton was good today, at times, he had all four pitches for strikes. I think the trump card for him was the fastball for strikes command. Then the offense did what it did yesterday again. He (Hamilton) was able to get out of a couple jams, and the defense made some nice plays. The strong early start put us in a good position for the second half of the game with the lead."

"I think we are starting to round into form, we have been able to command the zone and get the first pitch strikes better in the past three weeks which has shown in the results. When we are doing that it just becomes a snowball effect and we take it from there.

What's Next?
The Bears and Cougars will close out their series tomorrow afternoon at 12 pm at Jackson Field. It is both Senior Day and Tom Petroff Day at the ballpark.