University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Grizzlies Take Doubleheader from @BearsSoftball
4/26/2019 8:48:00 PM | Softball
Northern Colorado was close in both games, but fell short of the wins
MISSOULA, Mont.- The weekend did not start the way Northern Colorado softball wanted it to, as the team dropped its doubleheader against Montana. UNC(11-36, 5-11) dropped the first game 6-4 and the second 4-2.
Game 1
Valerie Vidal was in the circle for the first game and faced Montana's Colleen Driscoll.
Both pitchers were dealing early, allowing a combined four baserunners through the first three innings.
The Bears started to get to Driscoll in the top of the fourth, as Emma Brockmann walked and Shaena Robinson singled to put two on with one out.
Natalie Joyner dug in next and swung at the first pitch that Driscoll offered. It was the right decision as Joyner sent the ball down the left field line and over the fence. UNC was up 3-0 thanks to the big blast from Joyner.
In the top of the fifth, the Bears tacked on another run after Dani Young singled to center field and Cheyenne Talmadge came into score. With the run, UNC had built a 4-0 lead.
Montana cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on three hits. The Grizzlies then tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, by way of a two-run, home run from Morgan Johnson.
The score was tied heading to the seventh and UNC only managed a single in the inning.
Cami Sellers came up with the big hit for the Grizzlies with a two-run, home run to get the walk-off win. Vidal took the loss after allowing four earned runs in six innings pitched.
Game 2
Maggie Thurston got the call to start in the circle for the Bears in the second game. Thurston went against Maddy Stensby.
UNC and Montana traded runs in the second inning, with Maddee Blood-Smyth singled to lead-off the inning. Blood-Smyth would score from third after Cheyenne Talmadge was caught stealing.
Montana jumped in front in the bottom of the fourth, getting one run on three hits. The Grizzlies would push two more runs across in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Valerie Vidal came in for Thurston in relief during the inning.
The Bears looked to rally in the top of the seventh, as Shaena Robinson singled and Natalie Joyner walked to lead off the inning. After a double-play, line-out, Alyssa Huerta doubled to right center to bring Robinson into score and the Bears pulled to 4-2 of the Grizzlies.
Stansby closed out UNC in the next at-bat to get the win. Thurston suffered the loss after pitching four innings with four earned runs.
Game Notes
Regular Season Finale
Northern Colorado will close out its regular season on Saturday with the series finale against Montana at 1 pm MST.
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Game 1
Valerie Vidal was in the circle for the first game and faced Montana's Colleen Driscoll.
Both pitchers were dealing early, allowing a combined four baserunners through the first three innings.
The Bears started to get to Driscoll in the top of the fourth, as Emma Brockmann walked and Shaena Robinson singled to put two on with one out.
Natalie Joyner dug in next and swung at the first pitch that Driscoll offered. It was the right decision as Joyner sent the ball down the left field line and over the fence. UNC was up 3-0 thanks to the big blast from Joyner.
In the top of the fifth, the Bears tacked on another run after Dani Young singled to center field and Cheyenne Talmadge came into score. With the run, UNC had built a 4-0 lead.
Montana cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on three hits. The Grizzlies then tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, by way of a two-run, home run from Morgan Johnson.
The score was tied heading to the seventh and UNC only managed a single in the inning.
Cami Sellers came up with the big hit for the Grizzlies with a two-run, home run to get the walk-off win. Vidal took the loss after allowing four earned runs in six innings pitched.
Game 2
Maggie Thurston got the call to start in the circle for the Bears in the second game. Thurston went against Maddy Stensby.
UNC and Montana traded runs in the second inning, with Maddee Blood-Smyth singled to lead-off the inning. Blood-Smyth would score from third after Cheyenne Talmadge was caught stealing.
Montana jumped in front in the bottom of the fourth, getting one run on three hits. The Grizzlies would push two more runs across in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Valerie Vidal came in for Thurston in relief during the inning.
The Bears looked to rally in the top of the seventh, as Shaena Robinson singled and Natalie Joyner walked to lead off the inning. After a double-play, line-out, Alyssa Huerta doubled to right center to bring Robinson into score and the Bears pulled to 4-2 of the Grizzlies.
Stansby closed out UNC in the next at-bat to get the win. Thurston suffered the loss after pitching four innings with four earned runs.
Game Notes
- Natalie Joyner's three-run, home run was her third dinger of the season, adding three more RBIs to give her 12 for the season. Joyner went one-for-three, with two walks and was hit by a pitch on Friday.
- Alyssa Huerta went two-for-five with one double and one RBI.
- Shaena Robinson went for two-for-six with two runs scored.
Regular Season Finale
Northern Colorado will close out its regular season on Saturday with the series finale against Montana at 1 pm MST.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Achenbach (5-6)
L: Vidal, Valerie (8-26)

Batting:
HR: Joyner, Natalie 1
RBI: Young, Dani 1 ; Joyner, Natalie 3
SH: Young, Mady 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Talmadge, Cheyenne 1 ; Renaud, Taylor 1 ; Robinson, Shaena 1 ; Joyner, Natalie 1
SB: Talmadge, Cheyenne 1 ; Kudrna, Kenzie 1

Batting:
2B: Sellers 1
3B: Pippel 1
HR: Sellers 1 ; Johnson 1
RBI: Stensby 1 ; Sellers 3 ; Johnson 2
SH: Knauss 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Becker 1 ; Sellers 1 ; Pippel 1 ; Johnson 2 ; Weisgram 1
HBP: McGrath 1 ; Johnson 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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