Recap: @BearsSoftball Splits First Two Games at the Total Control Softball Tournament

Friday, February 9

Rosemont, IL

2 pm

University of Northern Colorado

1-0

Loyola

0-1

Northern Colorado

Loyola Chicago

2/9/2018 11:22:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Northern Colorado defeated Loyola in its first game, before losing to Eastern Kentucky later in the day

By: Matthew Kushar, UNCBears.com

ROSEMONT, Ill.- Northern Colorado softball split its first two games of the Total Control Softball Tournament to open the season. UNC (1-1) started the day with a 5-0 victory over host Loyola, but could not keep the momentum going in the second game and lost 4-0 to Eastern Kentucky.

Northern Colorado 5, Loyola 0
In the first game of the season, UNC used a dominate start from Valerie Vidal and a four-hit performance from Lauren Paige to top the Ramblers.

The Bears had the bats going in the second inning, with Paige getting a lead-off single to center field. Jordyn Wiatrak slapped another single into left field to bring Paige home for a 1-0 UNC lead. After Mady Young walked, catcher Emma Brockmann belted a triple to right field and scored two more runs for a 3-0 lead.

UNC was threatening again in the fourth after Young and Madi Schmidt both walked. With two on, Loyola's pitcher Keenan Dolezal was pulled and replaced with Madison Veres. After Sophia Taylor reached on a fielder's choice and Kenzie Kudrna grounded out, the Ramblers avoided any additional damage.

The hitting continued for the Bears in the fifth, as Paige picked up her third of the day and Wiatrak got on with an infield single. Young would single into right field to load the bases for UNC, but Veres managed to strike out Brockman looking to end the threat.

UNC would pad its lead in the seventh after Paige would get her fourth hit, by way of a solo-home run on a 2-1 count and the lead was now 4-0. The next batter was Kaley Garcia, who knocked a double into left-center and would advance to third on a wild pitch from Veres. Young would come up to the plate and get her second hit of the day with a single to left field to score Garcia .

While the offense was pressuring the Rambler pitchers, Vidal was controlling the Loyola lineup from the first inning. Vidal gave up a leadoff single in the first to Shannon McGhee, but Vidal did not let her advance any farther. Vidal would pitch seven innings, surrendering three hits, one walk, while striking out five.

The only time Vidal was in any trouble was in the sixth, when Loyola had runners on first and second with two outs. Loyola's Katie Kasubke was at bat and Vidal struck her out looking to get out of the inning. That inning was the only occurrence of the Ramblers getting any baserunners past first on the day.

UNC was able to out-hit Loyola 12 to three, but did leave nine runners on base for the day.

Eastern Kentucky 4, Northern Colorado 0
The offense for UNC struggled in the second game, as they were held without a hit until the fifth inning and recorded only two total against the Colonel's pitchers.

Hunter Damico started the game for the Bears and found herself in trouble in the first inning after giving up a lead-off walk to Paige Murphy and a double to Destinee Lizzmore, putting runners in scoring position with no outs. Hannah Clark connected for a single to put the Colonels up 2-0 in the game. Another walk would put Clark in scoring position and Zoe Mihalicz would bring her home with a single for a 3-0 lead.

Damico would strand a runner at third in the second inning, but a lead-off walk from Clark in the third would be the last EKU batter she faced. Lauren Paige was brought in for relief. Clark would steal a base to get into scoring position and Mihalicz would knock a single off Paige to score another run and the Colonel lead now stood at 4-0.

Paige would settle into a grove after the third and allowed only one hit over the next three innings.

EKU's Mollie Paulick had all the run support she would need for the game, as she was able to limit UNC to only three baserunners for the entire game. The Bears had their first baserunner of the game in the fourth inning with a walk from Mady Young. Jordyn Wiatrak would lead-off the fifth inning with a single for UNC's first hit of the game. Kenzie Kudrna would get the Bears second hit and they had two on with one out. Paulick was able to get a foul out and a strikeout, escaping the inning without any damage.

Paulick's performance was the difference in the game, with a final line of six innings, two hits, no runs, one walk, and six strikeouts.

In their words
Head Coach, Shana Easley
"In game 1 our pitcher Val did a nice job being aggressive going at Loyola's hitters getting ahead in most counts. She was able to get us quick outs defensively and keep us in a good tempo on defense. Lauren Paige went 4-4 with a relaxed confident approach at the plate."

"In game 2 we had a rough start to the game and gave up 4 runs in the first three innings. I think we let that get in our heads offensively and put too much pressure on ourselves to produce runs. Lauren Paige did a nice job in relief in game 2 shutting down EKUs offense the last half of the game."

Next Up
Northern Colorado is back on the field tomorrow for two more games against Wright State at 2 P.M. (MT) and IUPUI at 4:30 P.M. UNC concludes its time at the Total Control Softball Tournament with a game on Sunday against DePaul at 10 A.M.