University of Northern Colorado Athletics
University of Northern Colorado
29-22
Air Force Academy
24-27
Recap: Big Ninth Leads @NCBearsBaseball Over Air Force
5/15/2018 5:43:00 PM | Baseball
Northern Colorado scored eight runs in the ninth to defeat Air Force 18-11 on Tuesday
How It Happened
Air Force jumped out to the early lead with a pair of home runs to left in the first inning. Nic Ready hit a two-run shot and Colby Brown a three-run homer to lead 5-0 after one.
Both teams were held scoreless in the second, but the Bears then scored at least two runs over the third through the fifth inning to gain the lead.
The Bears ralley started in the third when Matt Zoba singled to leadoff the inning. Following an Austin Miller walk, Dean Lawson roped a double down the left field line scoring the pair. Lawson came home to make it 5-3 with a single through the right side by Matt Burkart. Air Force got a run back in the bottom half of the inning to lead 6-3 through three.
UNC made it a one-run game with two more runs in the fourth. Jake Garcia reached on an error to start the inning and Brett Minnick and Zoba loaded the bases with back-to-back singles. A fielder's choice scored Garcia and Lawson sacrifice fly made it 6-5. The Falcons again responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to go up by two.
Jack Pauley doubled to lead off the fifth inning and start the five-run inning. Evan Johnson, Garcia, and Minnick each hit a single inning to tie the game at 7 and put two on for Zoba. The freshman shortstop delivered with a three-run bomb to right putting the Bears up 10-7.
The game stayed at 10-7 in favor of UNC until Air Force cut it to 10-8 with a run in the seventh and reclaimed the lead in the eighth by plating three.
Northern Colorado did not give in down 11-10, after a groundout to start the ninth, Minnick hit his ninth home run of the year over the leftfield wall to tie the game at 11. A Zoba single and error by Air Force on a Miller bunt led to a 12-11 UNC lead with Miller on third. Lawson scored Miller with a single to left and Burkart hit the big shot with a two-run home run off the scoreboard making it 15-11. Following a pitching change by Air Force Pauley and Maltese joined the hit parade with back-to-back singles.
UNC extended its lead to 16-11 when Johnson executed a squeeze play that scored Billy Moreland who pinch ran for Pauley. The Bears scored two more in the inning as they batted around and led 18-11. Air Force had a one-out single in the bottom of the inning, but that was it.
Game Changer
Freshman Matt Zoba had the best game of his career on Tuesday going 5-for-6 with four singles and a home run. Zoba, scored three times, drove in three runs and stole a base as well.
Stat to Know
Northern Colorado saved its best inning for last at the plate scoring eight runs on six hits and an error. The team had two home runs, three singles and a double in the inning to take the lead.
Game Notes
- Six different Bears had multiple hits on the day, led by Zoba's five. Brett Minnick (4), Cole Maltese (3), Dean Lawson, Matt Burkart and Jack Pauley (2) joined their teammate.
- The two teams combined for 36 hits on the day. UNC had 20 of the 36.
- Brett Minnick was 4-for-6 on the day with four RBI, three runs scored a double and home run.
What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado now has a week off before competing in its first game in the WAC Tournament in Mesa, Arizona. The Bears will be the No. 5 seed in the tournament and face the to be determined No. 4 seed at 4 pm MT.
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: Bergdahl, Austin (2-0)
L: KELLEY, Shawn (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Lawson, Dean 1 ; Pauley, Jack 2 ; Maltese, Cole 1 ; Minnick, Brett 1
HR: Burkart, Matt 1 ; Minnick, Brett 1 ; Zoba, Matt 1
RBI: Miller, Austin 1 ; Lawson, Dean 4 ; Burkart, Matt 3 ; Johnson, Evan 1 ; Garcia, Jake 1 ; Minnick, Brett 4 ; Zoba, Matt 3
SH: Johnson, Evan 1
SF: Lawson, Dean 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Miller, Austin 2 ; Lawson, Dean 2 ; Burkart, Matt 1 ; Pauley, Jack 1 ; Moreland, Billy 1 ; Maltese, Cole 1 ; Johnson, Evan 2 ; Garcia, Jake 2 ; Minnick, Brett 3 ; Zoba, Matt 3
SB: Miller, Austin 1 ; Lawson, Dean 1 ; Pauley, Jack 1 ; Zoba, Matt 1
HBP: Garcia, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: ROBB, Ryan 1 ; WISS, Drew 1 ; READY, Nic 1 ; DAU, Rob 1 ; EASLEY, Ashton 1 ; BROWN, Colby 1
3B: ROBB, Ryan 1
HR: READY, Nic 1 ; BROWN, Colby 1
RBI: READY, Nic 4 ; DAU, Rob 1 ; BROWN, Colby 4
Base Running:
RUNS: ROBB, Ryan 2 ; WISS, Drew 1 ; READY, Nic 2 ; DAU, Rob 1 ; EASLEY, Ashton 3 ; BROWN, Colby 1 ; JONES, Daniel 1
HBP: DAU, Rob 1 ; EASLEY, Ashton 1 ; WILKIE, Travis 1
PO: WILKIE, Travis 1
