Recap: @NCBearsBaseball Earns Third Series Win of Year at UC Davis

Sunday, March 18

Davis, Calif.

2:00 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

14-7

University of California Davis

5-12

Northern Colorado

UC Davis

3/18/2018 8:16:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Northern Colorado baseball won its third series of the 2018 season with a 5-3 win over UC Davis on Sunday

By: By Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

DAVIS, Calif. – Northern Colorado baseball concluded its series against UC Davis on Sunday, first playing the final four innings of the nightcap of yesterday's doubleheader, before playing today's regularly scheduled game. The Bears who led 6-2 when the game from Saturday was suspended due to daylight and they added on six more runs today to win it 12-2. In the final game, UNC won the series with a 5-3 ballgame.

Game 1
How It Happened
Northern Colorado jumped out to the 6-2 lead on Saturday behind a four run first and runs in the second and fourth. UNC's offense saw its first three batters reach safely with a Matt Burkart double, Cole Maltese single and Jack Pauley single. Pauley's hit brought home Burkart to start the scoring in the inning. Baxter Halligan and Jacob Garcia then brought home the other three runs later in in frame. Halligan hit a two-RBI double down the left field line, while Garcia had a single to left to make it 4-0.

UC Davis cut into the Bears lead in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs. UNC's top of its order brought home another run in the second when Matt Burkart touched home plate to make it a 5-2 game. Dean Lawson made it 6-2 when he stole home for the second time in two weeks. As daylight dwindled, the teams suspended the game to Sunday going into the top of the sixth.

Coming back on Sunday, to continue the game, UNC loaded the bases right away with a single walk and error. All three of those runners plus Tyler Yamaguchi came home to score in the inning. Yamaguchi, brought two of those four runs home with a double down the left field line, while another Aggies error scored Yamaguchi.

Northern Colorado added on two more runs in the seventh for good measure to finish off the 12-2 win and have an opportunity at winning the series.

Game Changer
The Bears top three batters in Matt Burkart, Cole Maltese and Jack Pauley went 8-for-13 in the game with eight runs scored, an RBI and four walks. Of the hits, only one was an extra-base hit by Burkart with a double.

Stat to Know
UNC did a good job of making UC Davis strand runners on base. The Bears forced UCD into 15 runner's left on base, killing any chances at a comeback.

Game 2
How It Happened
Neither team put a run on the board until the third inning, when Dean Lawson and Evan Johnson drove home a run each. Lawson's on a single to left center and Johnson scored Lawson on a double to the left field corner.

Alex Kiel continued his stellar weekend for the Bears with an RBI single through the left side in the top of the sixth, extending UNC's lead to 3-0. UC Davis' offense finally put things together in the sixth by scoring three runs on three hits.

Even at three entering the eighth, Johnson, who was a part of UNC's two-run third inning, led it off with a single to center. He moved into scoring position when Jack Pauley was hit by a pitch and the Aggies made a pitching change. It made no difference, as Matt Burkart put Northern Colorado back in the lead with a double down the right field line scoring Johnson. Tyler Yamaguchi added on an insurance run for the team with an infield single. Connor Leedholm earned his sixth save of the year by recording the final six outs of the game.

Game Changer
Baxter Halligan is only a freshman but is looking like a veteran on the mound for UNC every Sunday. He missed out on the win but pitched another strong 5.1 innings allowing two runs, both earned, on six hits and two walks, while striking out four.

Stat to Know
Northern Colorado did a good job of not allowing UCD to extend innings Sunday afternoon. The Bears held the Aggies to 0-for-7 with two outs and turned three double plays in the game.

Coach Iwa's Corner
"Proud of the entire team this weekend. All the adversity that could happen from the weather to suspended game to being beat in the series-opener and coming back the nex three games and picking up the wins. Our players handled everything really well. Our defense really shined and Alex Kiel and Jack Pauley came up huge all weekend long"

What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado returns home for a solo midweek game against Air Force on Tuesday at 3 pm at Jackson Field. UNC then opens up WAC play next weekend by traveling to Utah Valley for a three-game series.

To stay up to date on all things UNC baseball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @NCBearsBaseball.