Hawaii Trip Ends on Saturday for Bears

Saturday, February 8

Manoa, HI

3 pm

University of Northern Colorado

1-3

Memphis

3-1

Northern Colorado

Memphis

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

2/8/2020 11:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Northern Colorado went 0-2 on the final day of the Paradise Classic

By: Matthew Kushar, UNCBears.com

MANOA, HI – Northern Colorado closed out its time at the Hawaii Paradise Classic on Saturday, dropping both games. In the first bracket game, UNC fell to Memphis, 8-3. The Bears would then play host-school Hawai'i in the third-place game and lost 9-0 in five innings.

Bears vs. Tigers
Taylor Puga made her first start in the circle against the Tigers, facing Karli Perque.

Memphis scored first with an RBI double to left center in the bottom of the first inning. The Tigers extended the lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI single for the 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, Memphis made it three straight innings with a run, scoring off another single.

UNC would get on the board in the top of the fourth, as Paola Villegas grounded out to shortstop and allowed Brandi Hallar to score. The Bears now trailed 3-1.

Memphis would break the game open in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs on three hits. The Tigers took advantage of runners on and strung hits together to build their lead.

The Bears would strike back with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Dani Young doubled down the right field line to score Mady Young. Natalie Joyner would then single to center and bring Young into score. UNC cut the Tiger lead to 7-3.

Now in the bottom of the sixth, Memphis used an RBI single to get one run back for the Tigers.

Memphis' relief pitcher, Mariah Nichols, would close out UNC in the top of the seventh to secure the 8-3 win.

Bears vs. Rainbow Wahine
Lainey Hanehan got the call in the circle against Hawai'i and their starter, Ashley Murphy.

The Rainbow Wahine got tot Hanehan early, scoring four runs on two hits in the bottom of the first inning. Hawai'i added two more runs in the bottom of the second on one hit.

Murphy was in control of UNC's batters, allowing only one hit through the first three innings.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Rainbow Wahine scored three runs on three hits to push their lead to 9-0 over the Bears. The eight-run rule was now in effect and UNC needed to score in the top of the fifth to extend the game.

UNC was retired in order in the top of the fifth and Hawai'i secured the 9-0 win over the Bears.

Game Notes

Paola Villegas went 2-for-4 against Memphis and accounted for one of the team's RBIs.
Natalie Joyner recorded her first hits of the season against the Tigers, going 2-for-three with an RBI.
Mady Young's streak of consecutive starts ends at 112 after not starting in the first game on Saturday.
Maddee Blood-Smyth had the Bears only hit against Hawai'i and was the team's only baserunner.

What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado will travel to Albuquerque, NM for five games in the University of New Mexico Tournament. UNC will play three games against host New Mexico and two against UC-Santa Barbara.