Bears take season-opening WAC series from Chicago State

Sunday, March 24

Greeley, Colo.

10AM

University of Northern Colorado

5-13, 0

Chicago State University

5-14, 0

Chicago State

Northern Colorado

3/24/2019 6:13:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ryan Ronan

After taking the series opener on Friday, UNC and Chicago State sat through a rain delay on Saturday that put the final two games of the series on Sunday. The two teams combined for 35 runs in just 16 innings that saw the Bears come back and take the opener 15-9 and the Cougars jumped out to a six-run lead and held on for a 6-5 win to salvage the series.

GAME 1
After scoring five runs in the fourth, the Bears found themselves down 9-5 entering the bottom of the sixth.

Following an RBI single by Billy Moreland, he came around and scored on a 2-run double by Matt Burkart that cut the CSU lead to 9-8. Burkart then scored on a throwing error to tie the game briefly before Sam Leach smashed an RBI triple to give UNC the lead for good. Tyler Yamaguchi extended the inning and scored Leach to push the lead to 11-9.

After 20 runs were scored in the first eight innings, UNC didn't feel their two-run lead was save headed to the final inning. The above group was involved again, Burkart and Leach reached and came home when Yamaguchi brought them around. Adrian Vela and Hayden Heinze followed with run-scoring hits a triple and a double.

The Bears got back in the game in the fourth when trailing 4-0. Vela got the comeback started with a 2RBI double that cut the CSU lead in half. Lucas Allen, Jack Pauley and Burkart all came through with RBI base hits to give UNC a 5-4 lead.

GAME 2
With the Cougars having a flight to catch the second game was put on a time limit, which came into play in the seventh inning.

The Bears again found themselves down multiple runs headed to the sixth inning, 6-0.

Yamaguchi singled in Burkart and Moreland to cut the CSU lead in half. Vela stepped into the spotlight again and doubled home Yamaguchi and Burkart to bring the Bears within 6-5.

The Bears got multiple runners on in the bottom of the seventh but couldn't bring around the tying run. And the game came to an end with six outs still left on the board to allow the Cougars to catch their flight.

BREAKING OUT OF THE BOX SCORE

Vela got into the starting lineup on Tuesday and doesn't seem willing to give up his spot, after three hits vs. CSU-Pueblo he added three more hits and five RBIs.
Yamaguchi also had 5 RBIs and smacked three hits.
Heinze had three knocks and an RBI.
Burkart had a pair of hits and three runs driven in.
Moreland and Jack Pauley each had two hits and an RBI.
Karver Pate picked up the win in the opener.
In four different innings on Sunday the Bears scored at least four runs.

SCHEDULE SAYS
UNC will be back at home for a single game on Tuesday against Metro State before they head to South Texas for their second WAC series of the season over the weekend.