University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, February 15
Albuquerque, N.M.
1 pm
University of Northern Colorado
2-6
5
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UCSB
2-5
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4
5
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7
8
R
H
E
Northern Colorado
0
0
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3
1
1
5
10
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UCSB
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4
7
0
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Bears Comeback against Gauchos, Fall to Lobos
2/15/2020 8:00:00 PM | Softball
Northern Colorado split games on the second day of the Susan Craig Classic
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Northern Colorado softball splits games on day two of the Susan Craig Classic, starting with a comeback, 5-4 win over UC Santa Barbara. UNC then dropped its second game against host New Mexico, 8-3 on Saturday afternoon.
Bears vs. Gauchos
UNC had Lainey Hanehan in the circle to start the day off and she would be opposed by Emily Schuttish.
The Gauchos would score first in the game, getting an RBI single in the bottom of the first for the 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, UCSB put up three runs on four hits, including a two-run home run.
Schuttish was effective early on, holding UNC to one hit through the first three innings.
After the rough third inning, Hanehan was locked in and limited the Cauchos to a pair of hits and pair of walks for the rest of the game.
The Bears got back into the game in the top of the sixth, as Lauren Strathearn led off with an infield single. Alyssa Wenzel beat out the throw to first on a bunt attempt and UNC had two on with nobody out. Mady Young knocked a double to left field and Strathearn came into score for the Bears' first run. Next up was
Emma Brockmann, who followed suite with a double to center that scored Wenzel and Young. UNC recorded five hits in the inning and scored three runs to pull within one of the Gauchos at 4-3.
Now in the top of the seventh and down a run, Strathearn again singled to give UNC a quick baserunner. After Strathearn advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Wenzel, Brockmann came up clutch again and singled into center. Strathearn crossed home plate to tie the game at four and game would head to extra innings for the second time this weekend.
In the top of the eight, it was Natalie Joyner who delivered the clutch hit, singling to left field to score Paola Villegas and UNC had its first lead, 5-4.
Hanehan shut down UCSB in the bottom of the eight and UNC won the game 5-4 in eight innings.
Bears vs. Lobos
In the second game of the day, Maggie Thurston was in the circle for the Bears. She went against Brianna Sanchez,
Thurston and Ferguson both started strong with no runs through the first two innings.
Amanda Hedges led off the top of the third with a double to left center and Lauren Strathearn would get a bunt single to put two runners on. Alyssa Wenzel slapped a single to center field and Hedges came into score for the first run of the game. Emma Brockmann hit a sacrifice fly to center and Strathearn came into score. UNC was up 2-0 on the Lobos. Kennedy Ferguson replaced Sanchez in the circle in the inning.
New Mexico got the runs back in the bottom of the third, by way of a two-run home run from Briana Martinez. Both Thurston and Ferguson put up zeros in the fourth inning and the game was tied 2-2 going to the fifth.
The Bears broke the tie in the top half as Mady Young singled home Strathearn who again led off the inning with a single.
In the bottom half, the Lobos struck for three runs on three hits to race ahead of UNC 5-3. They piled on in the bottom of the sixth with three more runs on four hits for an 8-3 advantage.
Ferguson allowed two hits to UNC in the top half of the seventh, but closed out the Bears with no damage for the 8-3 win.
Game Notes
What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado will close out its participation at the Susan Craig Classic, with one final game against UC Santa Barbara at 10 a.m.(MST).
Bears vs. Gauchos
UNC had Lainey Hanehan in the circle to start the day off and she would be opposed by Emily Schuttish.
The Gauchos would score first in the game, getting an RBI single in the bottom of the first for the 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, UCSB put up three runs on four hits, including a two-run home run.
Schuttish was effective early on, holding UNC to one hit through the first three innings.
After the rough third inning, Hanehan was locked in and limited the Cauchos to a pair of hits and pair of walks for the rest of the game.
The Bears got back into the game in the top of the sixth, as Lauren Strathearn led off with an infield single. Alyssa Wenzel beat out the throw to first on a bunt attempt and UNC had two on with nobody out. Mady Young knocked a double to left field and Strathearn came into score for the Bears' first run. Next up was
Emma Brockmann, who followed suite with a double to center that scored Wenzel and Young. UNC recorded five hits in the inning and scored three runs to pull within one of the Gauchos at 4-3.
Now in the top of the seventh and down a run, Strathearn again singled to give UNC a quick baserunner. After Strathearn advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Wenzel, Brockmann came up clutch again and singled into center. Strathearn crossed home plate to tie the game at four and game would head to extra innings for the second time this weekend.
In the top of the eight, it was Natalie Joyner who delivered the clutch hit, singling to left field to score Paola Villegas and UNC had its first lead, 5-4.
Hanehan shut down UCSB in the bottom of the eight and UNC won the game 5-4 in eight innings.
Bears vs. Lobos
In the second game of the day, Maggie Thurston was in the circle for the Bears. She went against Brianna Sanchez,
Thurston and Ferguson both started strong with no runs through the first two innings.
Amanda Hedges led off the top of the third with a double to left center and Lauren Strathearn would get a bunt single to put two runners on. Alyssa Wenzel slapped a single to center field and Hedges came into score for the first run of the game. Emma Brockmann hit a sacrifice fly to center and Strathearn came into score. UNC was up 2-0 on the Lobos. Kennedy Ferguson replaced Sanchez in the circle in the inning.
New Mexico got the runs back in the bottom of the third, by way of a two-run home run from Briana Martinez. Both Thurston and Ferguson put up zeros in the fourth inning and the game was tied 2-2 going to the fifth.
The Bears broke the tie in the top half as Mady Young singled home Strathearn who again led off the inning with a single.
In the bottom half, the Lobos struck for three runs on three hits to race ahead of UNC 5-3. They piled on in the bottom of the sixth with three more runs on four hits for an 8-3 advantage.
Ferguson allowed two hits to UNC in the top half of the seventh, but closed out the Bears with no damage for the 8-3 win.
Game Notes
- UNC batted .368 as a team between the two games.
- Alyssa Wenzel and Lauren Strathearn both went 4-of-7 on Saturday. Strathearn scored four runs.
- Emma Brockmann was 2-of-5 from the plate and had four RBIs to lead UNC.
- Lainey Hanehan won her second game of the season. She pitched a complete, eight-inning game while allowing four earned runs and striking out one.
- Mady Young went 3-of-7 on Saturday with two RBIs.
- UNC hitters only struck out four times in 57 plate appearances in the two games. They drew two walks as a team.
What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado will close out its participation at the Susan Craig Classic, with one final game against UC Santa Barbara at 10 a.m.(MST).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hanehan, Lainey (2-4)
L: Molina, A (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Young, Mady 1 ; Brockmann, Emma 1
RBI: Young, Mady 1 ; Brockmann, Emma 3 ; Joyner, Natalie 1
SH: Wenzel, Alyssa 1 ; Blood-Smyth, Maddee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wenzel, Alyssa 1 ; Young, Mady 1 ; Villegas, Paola 1 ; Strathearn, Lauren 2
SB: Young, Mady 1
HBP: Brockmann, Emma 1 ; Caudillo, Reyna 1
Batting:
2B: Fabian, S 1
HR: Sperry, D 1
RBI: Altmeyer, S 2 ; Sperry, D 2
SH: Nodohara, A 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fabian, S 2 ; Altmeyer, S 1 ; Sperry, D 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
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