University of Northern Colorado Athletics

Photo by: Will Becque
@BearsSoftball Limited Against No. 11 Razorbacks, Salukis
2/15/2019 4:37:00 PM | Softball
Northern Colorado lost to Southern Illinois and No. 11 Arkansas on Friday afternoon
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mex.- Northern Colorado softball dropped both of its games on Friday in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. UNC lost 6-0 to Southern Illinois and 11-0 in five innings to No. 11 Arkansas.
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Bears vs. Salukis
Maggie Thurston got the call to start in the circle in the Bears first game of the day. She faced Southern Illinois' Claire Miller.
Thurston worked her way out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the first with inning-ending double play.
The Salukis would score a run in the bottom of the second off a UNC fielding error and had the 1-0 advantage.
Miller retired the first six UNC batters, before Madi Schmidt reached on a Salukis fielding error in the top of the third. After a Taylor Puga walk and a Kenzie Kudurna sacrifice bunt, the Bears would have runners on second and third. UNC could not get the timely hit and left the runners on base. Thurston would work out of another jam in the bottom of the third to keep the score 1-0.
SIU broke out in the bottom of the fourth with three runs on three hits, aided by two UNC errors. The Bears found themselves in a 4-0 hole.
Schmidt would lead the top of the fifth off with a double to right field and Maddee Blood-Smyth would walk to put two on with nobody out, forcing a pitching change for the Salukis. UNC would move Schmidt to third, but were unable to bring her home as SIU's Brianna Jones shut down the rally.
In the bottom of the fifth, SIU scored a run on a groundout and they padded their lead to 5-0.
The Salukis tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch from Thurston. Valerie Vidal entered the game in relief to prevent any further damage with a pair of strikeouts.
Jones retired the Bears in order in the top of the seventh to close out the game.
Southern Illinois defeated Northern Colorado 6-1, with Jones earning the win after striking out four in three innings, allowing no baserunners.
Thurston took the loss after pitching 5.1 innings, allowing four earned runs, while striking out two and walking four.
Bears vs. Razorbacks
Valerie Vidal would start in the circle for UNC in the second game on Friday, facing No. 11 Arkansas' Autum Storm.
The game was scoreless after the first inning, but the Razorbacks broke through in the bottom of the second with an RBI single. Arkansas extended the lead in the bottom of third, with a two-run, home run from Kayla Green and another RBI single.
Storm pitched well for the Razorbacks, holding UNC to two hits and one walk through four innings.
The Bears were backed into a corner during the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Arkansas batters scored seven runs on six hits to back the Bears.
Down 11-0, UNC needed to score in the top of the fifth to extend the game. Mady Young would get on with a single, but a fielder's choice would end the game.
Arkansas defeated Northern Colorado 11-0 in five innings. Vidal suffered the loss, going 3.1 innings and allowing nine earned runs. Storm picked up the win, going five innings with no earned runs, and allowing five hits and one walk, while striking out six.
Game Notes
Up Next
Northern Colorado will play its final game of the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Saturday morning at 9 am MST against Central Florida.
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Bears vs. Salukis
Maggie Thurston got the call to start in the circle in the Bears first game of the day. She faced Southern Illinois' Claire Miller.
Thurston worked her way out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the first with inning-ending double play.
The Salukis would score a run in the bottom of the second off a UNC fielding error and had the 1-0 advantage.
Miller retired the first six UNC batters, before Madi Schmidt reached on a Salukis fielding error in the top of the third. After a Taylor Puga walk and a Kenzie Kudurna sacrifice bunt, the Bears would have runners on second and third. UNC could not get the timely hit and left the runners on base. Thurston would work out of another jam in the bottom of the third to keep the score 1-0.
SIU broke out in the bottom of the fourth with three runs on three hits, aided by two UNC errors. The Bears found themselves in a 4-0 hole.
Schmidt would lead the top of the fifth off with a double to right field and Maddee Blood-Smyth would walk to put two on with nobody out, forcing a pitching change for the Salukis. UNC would move Schmidt to third, but were unable to bring her home as SIU's Brianna Jones shut down the rally.
In the bottom of the fifth, SIU scored a run on a groundout and they padded their lead to 5-0.
The Salukis tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch from Thurston. Valerie Vidal entered the game in relief to prevent any further damage with a pair of strikeouts.
Jones retired the Bears in order in the top of the seventh to close out the game.
Southern Illinois defeated Northern Colorado 6-1, with Jones earning the win after striking out four in three innings, allowing no baserunners.
Thurston took the loss after pitching 5.1 innings, allowing four earned runs, while striking out two and walking four.
Bears vs. Razorbacks
Valerie Vidal would start in the circle for UNC in the second game on Friday, facing No. 11 Arkansas' Autum Storm.
The game was scoreless after the first inning, but the Razorbacks broke through in the bottom of the second with an RBI single. Arkansas extended the lead in the bottom of third, with a two-run, home run from Kayla Green and another RBI single.
Storm pitched well for the Razorbacks, holding UNC to two hits and one walk through four innings.
The Bears were backed into a corner during the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Arkansas batters scored seven runs on six hits to back the Bears.
Down 11-0, UNC needed to score in the top of the fifth to extend the game. Mady Young would get on with a single, but a fielder's choice would end the game.
Arkansas defeated Northern Colorado 11-0 in five innings. Vidal suffered the loss, going 3.1 innings and allowing nine earned runs. Storm picked up the win, going five innings with no earned runs, and allowing five hits and one walk, while striking out six.
Game Notes
- Kenzie Kudurna went three-for-three against the Razorbacks and three-for-five on the day.
- Valerie Vidal's record fell to 1-5 after her start and relief appearance on Friday.
- Madi Schmidt went one-for-five on the day with one double, the team's only extra base hit of the day.
- Katie Simonsgaard recorded her first career hit against Arkansas on Friday.
Up Next
Northern Colorado will play its final game of the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Saturday morning at 9 am MST against Central Florida.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones (4-1)
L: Thurston, Maggie (0-2)

Batting:
2B: Schmidt, Madi 1
Base Running:
CS: Young, Mady 1

Batting:
2B: Baranski 2 ; Jansen 1
RBI: Baranski 1 ; Jansen 1 ; Spicer 1 ; Boelens 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vermejan 1 ; Baranski 2 ; Jansen 1 ; Wood 2
SB: Vermejan 1 ; Baranski 1 ; Jansen 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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