University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Friday, March 1
Phoenix, Ariz.
9 am
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Iowa State
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Lopes Up Classic Next Up for @BearsSoftball
2/28/2019 9:41:00 AM | Softball
Northern Colorado will travel to Phoenix for five games this weekend
After a difficult start the road trip, Northern Colorado softball rallied on Sunday to pick up two key wins and improve the team's confidence. UNC looks to carry the momentum over as they head to Phoenix, Ariz. for the Lopes Up Classic, hosted by Grand Canyon University, where the team will play five games. Along with Grand Canyon, Northern Colorado will play games against Iowa State, South Dakota and Utah.
Last weekend in California, the Bears went 2-3 in the Silicon Valley Classic, defeating Utah State 9-5 and Santa Clara 2-0. UNC dropped its first game against Santa Clara(1-9), while dropping games against Ball State(0-10) and San Jose State(1-3).
In the win over Santa Clara, Valerie Vidal set a program record with her eighth solo-shutout to power the Bears to victory. Vidal started three of the team's five games and appeared in four, recording a 2.82 ERA and 2-2 record in 27.1 innings pitched. Vidal was sharp with her command, striking out 14 while issuing on three walks in her four appearances.
The Bears' lineup had a big turnaround in California, led by Mady Young who went eight-for-16. Young recorded her first home run of the season against Utah State and also had a double and triple, while recording four RBIs.
Freshman Hailee Swanson had a solid weekend, going four-for-eleven with one RBI.
Kenzie Kudrna continued to be effective near the top of the order, going five-for-15, with four runs scored, while also drawing two walks.
Northern Colorado will use the improvement from the California to make even bigger strides this weekend in Phoenix.
Scouting the Cyclones
Iowa State heads to Arizona with a 6-6 record to begin the season, going 3-1 this past weekend in the Holy City Showdown. The Cyclones won against Marshall(1-0), Radford(2-1, eight innings) and Dartmouth(12-0, five innings), while dropping a 1-2 game against Appalachian State. Earlier in the season, Iowa State faced No. 1 Florida State, dropping both games(0-1 and 0-5). Senior Sally Woolpert is been one of the Cyclones most reliable bats, recording 10 hits and scoring three runs this season, while driving in six runs. In the circle, senior Savannah Sanders has been solid with a 2.01 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched, while having a 1-2 record. Sanders had tallied 14 strikeouts and six walks.
UNC last played Iowa State in 2014 in the Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces, N.M, dropping the game 1-9 in five innings.
Scouting the Yotes
South Dakota enters the weekend with an 11-4 record after playing its last 10 games in Madeira Beach, Flo. The Yotes went 7-3 in the two-week tournament, defeating Albany(2-0), Cornell(6-0), Purdue(4-2) and Middle Tennessee State(3-1) this past week. The offense for South Dakota has been explosive, outscoring opponents 99-69 this season. Senior Jamie Holscher has provide the power with six home runs along with 23 RBIs, while batting .469 through 15 games. Redshirt sophomore Alexis Devers has been strong in the circle, with a 2.23 ERA and 4-1 recording in seven starts, working 37.2 inning. Devers has two complete-game shutouts, while recording 21 strikeouts and 12 walks.
Northern Colorado faced South Dakota back in 2009, dropping the game 6-5 to the Yotes.
Scouting the Utes
Utah has posted a 5-10 record so far this season, with four of their games coming against ranked opponents. The Utes lost 2-13(5 innings) against No. 18 Kentucky, 1-8 against No. 17 Oklahoma State, 2-10(5 innings) against No. 23 Ohio State and 1-10(6 innings) against No. 6 Tennessee. Recently, Utah went 0-5 in the Mary Nutter Tournament. Sophomore Julia Noskin leads the Utes' lineup, batting .396 with nine runs scored and a pair of doubles, along with three RBIs. Senior Hailey Hilburn has delivered the power bat for Utah, batting .277 with two home runs, two doubles, one triple and leading the team with 10 RBIs.
The Bears played Utah at the beginning of the 2010 season, falling 5-6 in the Red Desert Classic in St. George UT.
Scouting the Lopes
Grand Canyon will host the Lopes Up Classic and has a record of 7-7 on the season and went 301 last weekend in the GCU Purple Classic that they also hosted. The Lopes defeated Michigan State(7-2), North Dakota(8-2) and Yale(6-3), while dropping a game against Boise State(0-8, 6 innings). Senior Shea Smith has been key in the GCU's lineup, batting an impressive .500 with five doubles and 11 runs scored, along with eight RBIs. Sophomore Lexy Coons is a major factor in the Lopes pitching staff, appearing in 10 games with two starts. Coons has a 1.60 ERA in 35 innings pitched and currently holds a 3-2 record, with 27 strikeouts and 12 walks.
UNC played two games against Grand Canyon to kick of the 2017 season in Phoneix, with the Bears dropping both games 2-9 and 1-3.
Following the Bears
UNC will open the Lopes Up Classic against Iowa State on Friday, March 1st at 9 am(MST) and will then play South Dakota later that day at 2 pm. On Saturday, March 2nd, the Bears will start against Utah at 9 am and play game two against Iowa State at 2 pm. Northern Colorado will finish up the tournament against Grand Canyon on Sunday, March 3rd at 12:30 pm.
Live stats will be available for all games through GCULopes.com and UNC's game against Grand Canyon will be streamed live on the Lopes YouTube channel.
Follow the games on Twitter for live scores with @BearsSoftball.
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Last weekend in California, the Bears went 2-3 in the Silicon Valley Classic, defeating Utah State 9-5 and Santa Clara 2-0. UNC dropped its first game against Santa Clara(1-9), while dropping games against Ball State(0-10) and San Jose State(1-3).
In the win over Santa Clara, Valerie Vidal set a program record with her eighth solo-shutout to power the Bears to victory. Vidal started three of the team's five games and appeared in four, recording a 2.82 ERA and 2-2 record in 27.1 innings pitched. Vidal was sharp with her command, striking out 14 while issuing on three walks in her four appearances.
The Bears' lineup had a big turnaround in California, led by Mady Young who went eight-for-16. Young recorded her first home run of the season against Utah State and also had a double and triple, while recording four RBIs.
Freshman Hailee Swanson had a solid weekend, going four-for-eleven with one RBI.
Kenzie Kudrna continued to be effective near the top of the order, going five-for-15, with four runs scored, while also drawing two walks.
Northern Colorado will use the improvement from the California to make even bigger strides this weekend in Phoenix.
Scouting the Cyclones
Iowa State heads to Arizona with a 6-6 record to begin the season, going 3-1 this past weekend in the Holy City Showdown. The Cyclones won against Marshall(1-0), Radford(2-1, eight innings) and Dartmouth(12-0, five innings), while dropping a 1-2 game against Appalachian State. Earlier in the season, Iowa State faced No. 1 Florida State, dropping both games(0-1 and 0-5). Senior Sally Woolpert is been one of the Cyclones most reliable bats, recording 10 hits and scoring three runs this season, while driving in six runs. In the circle, senior Savannah Sanders has been solid with a 2.01 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched, while having a 1-2 record. Sanders had tallied 14 strikeouts and six walks.
UNC last played Iowa State in 2014 in the Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces, N.M, dropping the game 1-9 in five innings.
Scouting the Yotes
South Dakota enters the weekend with an 11-4 record after playing its last 10 games in Madeira Beach, Flo. The Yotes went 7-3 in the two-week tournament, defeating Albany(2-0), Cornell(6-0), Purdue(4-2) and Middle Tennessee State(3-1) this past week. The offense for South Dakota has been explosive, outscoring opponents 99-69 this season. Senior Jamie Holscher has provide the power with six home runs along with 23 RBIs, while batting .469 through 15 games. Redshirt sophomore Alexis Devers has been strong in the circle, with a 2.23 ERA and 4-1 recording in seven starts, working 37.2 inning. Devers has two complete-game shutouts, while recording 21 strikeouts and 12 walks.
Northern Colorado faced South Dakota back in 2009, dropping the game 6-5 to the Yotes.
Scouting the Utes
Utah has posted a 5-10 record so far this season, with four of their games coming against ranked opponents. The Utes lost 2-13(5 innings) against No. 18 Kentucky, 1-8 against No. 17 Oklahoma State, 2-10(5 innings) against No. 23 Ohio State and 1-10(6 innings) against No. 6 Tennessee. Recently, Utah went 0-5 in the Mary Nutter Tournament. Sophomore Julia Noskin leads the Utes' lineup, batting .396 with nine runs scored and a pair of doubles, along with three RBIs. Senior Hailey Hilburn has delivered the power bat for Utah, batting .277 with two home runs, two doubles, one triple and leading the team with 10 RBIs.
The Bears played Utah at the beginning of the 2010 season, falling 5-6 in the Red Desert Classic in St. George UT.
Scouting the Lopes
Grand Canyon will host the Lopes Up Classic and has a record of 7-7 on the season and went 301 last weekend in the GCU Purple Classic that they also hosted. The Lopes defeated Michigan State(7-2), North Dakota(8-2) and Yale(6-3), while dropping a game against Boise State(0-8, 6 innings). Senior Shea Smith has been key in the GCU's lineup, batting an impressive .500 with five doubles and 11 runs scored, along with eight RBIs. Sophomore Lexy Coons is a major factor in the Lopes pitching staff, appearing in 10 games with two starts. Coons has a 1.60 ERA in 35 innings pitched and currently holds a 3-2 record, with 27 strikeouts and 12 walks.
UNC played two games against Grand Canyon to kick of the 2017 season in Phoneix, with the Bears dropping both games 2-9 and 1-3.
Following the Bears
UNC will open the Lopes Up Classic against Iowa State on Friday, March 1st at 9 am(MST) and will then play South Dakota later that day at 2 pm. On Saturday, March 2nd, the Bears will start against Utah at 9 am and play game two against Iowa State at 2 pm. Northern Colorado will finish up the tournament against Grand Canyon on Sunday, March 3rd at 12:30 pm.
Live stats will be available for all games through GCULopes.com and UNC's game against Grand Canyon will be streamed live on the Lopes YouTube channel.
Follow the games on Twitter for live scores with @BearsSoftball.
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Players Mentioned
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