University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
@BearsSoftball Falls in Heart Breaker to Gardner-Webb
3/9/2019 8:44:00 PM | Softball
Northern Colorado went 0-2 on Saturday
LUBBOCK, TX – The bats showed good improvement for Northern Colorado softball on Saturday, but it was not enough to win on day two of the Jeannine McHaney Classic. UNC dropped its first game to Jacksonville State, 12-6, and then fell to Gardner-Webb 9-8.
Bears vs. Gamecocks
Valerie Vidal was in the circle for UNC and faced off against Jacksonville State's Macy Bearden.
UNC scored to open the game after Mady Young hit a sacrifice fly to score Cheyenne Talmadge and get the 1-0 lead.
The Gamecocks were quick to respond, tallying three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to race ahead of the Bears 3-1.
In the top of the third, Talmadge lead off with a single and Kenzie Kudrna singled as well to put two on with no one out. Young would again come through for UNC with a triple to clear the bases and tie the game. Hailee Swanson would double to give the Bears the lead. Maddee Blood-Smyth singled to score Swanson and UNC was up 5-3. Bearden was pulled in the inning and replaced by Alexus Jimmerson.
The game was now a slugfest, as Jacksonville State struck with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the third and pulled ahead 6-5. The
Gamecocks added three runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth to lead 9-5.
UNC scratched out a run in the top of the fifth after Taylor Renaud was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded that allowed Dani Young to score.
Jacksonville State's offense did not let up and scored another three runs in the bottom of the fifth to lead UNC 12-6.
In the top of the seventh, the Bears had two runners on with one out, but could not rally for any more runs. The Gamecocks won the game 12-6. Vidal was hit with the loss after allowing eight earned runs in four innings pitched.
Bears vs. Runnin' Bulldogs
Valerie Vidal got the call to start in the circle against Gardner-Webb, matching up against Reah Barger.
The Runnin' Bulldogs got on the board first in the bottom of the second with a solo home run.
UNC tied the game up quickly in the top of the third as Mady Young would single to left field to score Cheyenne Talmadge.
The back-and-forth nature of the game became apparent as Gardner scored two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-1 lead on the Bears.
After a quiet fourth inning, the fifth inning was an offensive display from both teams.
In the top half of the inning, UNC got the bats going when Kenzie Kudrna doubled to left field and scored Katie Simonsgaard. A single from Young would bring in Talmadge to score again and Kudrna moved to third. Hailee Swanson kept the hit train rolling with a single that scored Kudrna. Young would score on a throwing error on the same play and UNC had the lead 5-3.
Now in the bottom half, Gardner-Webb matched the Bears offense with four runs on four hits to take a 7-5 lead.
UNC orchestrated a rally in the top of the seventh inning, as Kudrna lead-off with a bunt single. Young would walk and Swanson was hit by a pitch. With two outs in the inning, Emma Brockmann would deliver the clutch hit with a triple to right center that gave UNC an 8-7 lead.
Despite big hit from Brockmann, the Runnin' Bulldogs were not done. They rallied themselves with a single to right field from Meredith Ferguson that brought two runs into score and gave Gardner-Webb the walk-off, 9-8 win.
Game Notes
Up Next
Northern Colorado will play its final game in the Jeannine McHaney Classic tomorrow against No. 14 Texas Tech at 11:30 am MST.
Bears vs. Gamecocks
Valerie Vidal was in the circle for UNC and faced off against Jacksonville State's Macy Bearden.
UNC scored to open the game after Mady Young hit a sacrifice fly to score Cheyenne Talmadge and get the 1-0 lead.
The Gamecocks were quick to respond, tallying three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to race ahead of the Bears 3-1.
In the top of the third, Talmadge lead off with a single and Kenzie Kudrna singled as well to put two on with no one out. Young would again come through for UNC with a triple to clear the bases and tie the game. Hailee Swanson would double to give the Bears the lead. Maddee Blood-Smyth singled to score Swanson and UNC was up 5-3. Bearden was pulled in the inning and replaced by Alexus Jimmerson.
The game was now a slugfest, as Jacksonville State struck with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the third and pulled ahead 6-5. The
Gamecocks added three runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth to lead 9-5.
UNC scratched out a run in the top of the fifth after Taylor Renaud was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded that allowed Dani Young to score.
Jacksonville State's offense did not let up and scored another three runs in the bottom of the fifth to lead UNC 12-6.
In the top of the seventh, the Bears had two runners on with one out, but could not rally for any more runs. The Gamecocks won the game 12-6. Vidal was hit with the loss after allowing eight earned runs in four innings pitched.
Bears vs. Runnin' Bulldogs
Valerie Vidal got the call to start in the circle against Gardner-Webb, matching up against Reah Barger.
The Runnin' Bulldogs got on the board first in the bottom of the second with a solo home run.
UNC tied the game up quickly in the top of the third as Mady Young would single to left field to score Cheyenne Talmadge.
The back-and-forth nature of the game became apparent as Gardner scored two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-1 lead on the Bears.
After a quiet fourth inning, the fifth inning was an offensive display from both teams.
In the top half of the inning, UNC got the bats going when Kenzie Kudrna doubled to left field and scored Katie Simonsgaard. A single from Young would bring in Talmadge to score again and Kudrna moved to third. Hailee Swanson kept the hit train rolling with a single that scored Kudrna. Young would score on a throwing error on the same play and UNC had the lead 5-3.
Now in the bottom half, Gardner-Webb matched the Bears offense with four runs on four hits to take a 7-5 lead.
UNC orchestrated a rally in the top of the seventh inning, as Kudrna lead-off with a bunt single. Young would walk and Swanson was hit by a pitch. With two outs in the inning, Emma Brockmann would deliver the clutch hit with a triple to right center that gave UNC an 8-7 lead.
Despite big hit from Brockmann, the Runnin' Bulldogs were not done. They rallied themselves with a single to right field from Meredith Ferguson that brought two runs into score and gave Gardner-Webb the walk-off, 9-8 win.
Game Notes
- Mady Young was force at the plate on Saturday, going three-for-six with five RBIs and three runs scored, with one walk.
- Kenzie Kudrna lead the team with four hits in seven at-bats, including one double, and scored two runs with one RBI.
- Cheyenne Talmadge scored a team-high four runs on Saturday, walking twice and getting one hit.
- Hailee Swanson went three-for-four with two RBIs, one double and one run scored.
Up Next
Northern Colorado will play its final game in the Jeannine McHaney Classic tomorrow against No. 14 Texas Tech at 11:30 am MST.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: JIMMERSON, A (1-1)
L: Vidal, Valerie (4-13)

Batting:
2B: Swanson, Hailee 1
3B: Young, Mady 1
RBI: Young, Mady 3 ; Swanson, Hailee 1 ; Renaud, Taylor 1
SH: Kudrna, Kenzie 1
SF: Young, Mady 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Talmadge, Cheyenne 2 ; Kudrna, Kenzie 1 ; Young, Mady 1 ; Young, Dani 1 ; Swanson, Hailee 1
HBP: Swanson, Hailee 2 ; Renaud, Taylor 1

Batting:
2B: HULL, L. 1
HR: BESHEARS, T. 3 ; JIMMERSON, A 1 ; CHISOLM, A. 1
RBI: BESHEARS, T. 6 ; JIMMERSON, A 3 ; CHISOLM, A. 2 ; SIMS, H. 1
SF: CHISOLM, A. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WEAVER, H. 1 ; MOSLEY, K. 3 ; BESHEARS, T. 4 ; JIMMERSON, A 2 ; HULL, L. 1 ; CHISOLM, A. 1
SB: SIMS, H. 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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