University of Northern Colorado Athletics

Recap: @NCBearsBaseball Wins Pitchers Duel Over Sacramento State
4/15/2018 1:18:00 AM | Baseball
UNC baseball outdueld Sacramento State 5-2 in Saturday's game.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Northern Colorado's Aaron Hamilton outdueled Sacramento State's Austin Root Saturday night as UNC defeated Sac State 5-2. Both teams did not score until the seventh, and the Bears did not record a hit until the sixth inning.
How It Happened
Hamilton and Root looked to be in cruise control early on, sitting down the first 13 combined batters to start the game. Alex Kiel walked in the third to end that streak, but nothing came of it. The Hornets recorded the first hit of the game in the bottom of the third.
Jake Pauley and Evan Johnson singled to center and right field, respectively to lead off the top of the seventh inning to start the Bears rally. UNC then loaded the bases when Tyler Yamaguchi reached on a fielder's choice. Brett Minnick delivered the big hit for the Bears with a double to clear the bases to make it 3-0.
Sacramento State cut Northern Colorado lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth as they had their first four batters reach safely. UNC expanded the lead back to three in the top half of the ninth. Matt Burkart turned into captain clutch for UNC with a two-run single to left. Alex Kiel and Austin Miller, who singled and walked, scored on the Burkart hit.
In Their Words
Head Coach Carl Iwasaki
"Aaron Hamilton tossed a gem of a game tonight with three pitches for strikes. Our hitters stayed patient and broke through with a team effort inning with Brett Minnick generating the bases-clearing triple. Our task tomorrow is to come out with grit and grind out a series with on Sunday."
Game Changer
Aaron Hamilton came out and attacked the strike zone from the start and kept the Sacramento State batters off balance. He pitched seven-plus innings allowing two runs, both unearned, on four hits. Hamilton struck out a season-best eight batters and walked just one.
Game Notes
- Northern Colorado did not record a hit until the sixth inning but ended up with seven by the end of the night. Alex Kiel was the lone Bear to record multiple hits going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.
- Connor Leedholm recorded his eighth save of the year.
- UNC combined to strike out 11 Hornets compared to walking just one.
What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado and Sacramento State faceoff in the rubber match Sunday afternoon at 1 pm. UNC will send LHP Keenan Lum to the mound for the rubber match.
To stay up to date on all things UNC baseball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @NCBearsBaseball.
How It Happened
Hamilton and Root looked to be in cruise control early on, sitting down the first 13 combined batters to start the game. Alex Kiel walked in the third to end that streak, but nothing came of it. The Hornets recorded the first hit of the game in the bottom of the third.
Jake Pauley and Evan Johnson singled to center and right field, respectively to lead off the top of the seventh inning to start the Bears rally. UNC then loaded the bases when Tyler Yamaguchi reached on a fielder's choice. Brett Minnick delivered the big hit for the Bears with a double to clear the bases to make it 3-0.
Sacramento State cut Northern Colorado lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth as they had their first four batters reach safely. UNC expanded the lead back to three in the top half of the ninth. Matt Burkart turned into captain clutch for UNC with a two-run single to left. Alex Kiel and Austin Miller, who singled and walked, scored on the Burkart hit.
In Their Words
Head Coach Carl Iwasaki
"Aaron Hamilton tossed a gem of a game tonight with three pitches for strikes. Our hitters stayed patient and broke through with a team effort inning with Brett Minnick generating the bases-clearing triple. Our task tomorrow is to come out with grit and grind out a series with on Sunday."
Game Changer
Aaron Hamilton came out and attacked the strike zone from the start and kept the Sacramento State batters off balance. He pitched seven-plus innings allowing two runs, both unearned, on four hits. Hamilton struck out a season-best eight batters and walked just one.
Game Notes
- Northern Colorado did not record a hit until the sixth inning but ended up with seven by the end of the night. Alex Kiel was the lone Bear to record multiple hits going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.
- Connor Leedholm recorded his eighth save of the year.
- UNC combined to strike out 11 Hornets compared to walking just one.
What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado and Sacramento State faceoff in the rubber match Sunday afternoon at 1 pm. UNC will send LHP Keenan Lum to the mound for the rubber match.
To stay up to date on all things UNC baseball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @NCBearsBaseball.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hamilton, Aaron (4-3)
L: Root, Austin (5-3)
S: Leedholm, Connor (8)

Batting:
2B: Minnick, Brett 1
RBI: Burkart, Matt 2 ; Minnick, Brett 3
SH: Lawson, Dean 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Miller, Austin 1 ; Pauley, Jack 1 ; Johnson, Evan 1 ; Yamaguchi, Tyler 1 ; Kiel, Alex 1
CS: Kiel, Alex 1
HBP: Burkart, Matt 1 ; Yamaguchi, Tyler 1

Batting:
2B: Floyd, PJ 1
3B: Outman, James 1
RBI: Esposito, Vinny 1 ; Torres, Keith 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Birch, Michael 1 ; Torres, Keith 1
CS: Floyd, PJ 1
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