Hitting and Pitching Sync Up For Softball to Top Lobos

Sunday, March 1

Albuquerque, NM

10:30 am

University of Northern Colorado

6-14

New Mexico

9-10

Northern Colorado

New Mexico

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

3/1/2020 5:38:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Northern Colorado defeated New Mexico 8-4 to finish above .500 for the weekend

By: Matthew Kushar, UNCBears.com

ALBUQUERQUE, NM- The improvement was apparent for Northern Colorado softball this weekend, as the team went 3-2 in the Lobo Classic, capped off with a 8-4 win over the host New Mexico. After losing both games to the Lobos at the beginning of the season, UNC won both games against the host-school this weekend.

Erin Caviness was in the circle for Northern Colorado and faced Bailey Klitzke from New Mexico.

UNC hit the Lobos hard in the first inning, scoring four runs on three hits. Paola Villegas doubled to right center for the Bears first run. Emma Brockmann would get a sacrifice fly to left field and Katie Simonsgaard would walk with the bases loaded. Alyssa Wenzel would make it two straight, bases-loaded walk to give UNC a 4-0 lead.

In the top of the second, Brandi Haller would ground out to second base and allowed Mady Young to cross home plate. The Bears were up 5-0 on New Mexico.

The Lobos would break through in the bottom of the third, scoring two runs on three hits. They cut the UNC lead to 5-2.

New Mexico kept up the pressure, scoring another two runs in the bottom of the fourth on three hits. Maggie Thurston would replace Caviness during the inning, as the Lobos had further cut the lead to 5-4.

Moving to the top of the sixth, UNC built some separation from the Lobos. Brockmann would come through again with an RBI double to left field and Dani Young came into score. Natalie Joyner would follow suite with a double to left center and Brockmann scored. The lead was rebuilt to 7-4.

The Bears would add an insurance run in the top of the seventh as Mady Young doubled down the left field line to score Lauren Strathearn.

Thurston recorded a one-two-three inning in the bottom of the seventh to close out New Mexico for the 8-4 win. Thurston would earn the win after pitching 3.2 innings and allowing one earned run on two hits.

Game Notes

Mady Young put together another strong day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored. Young batted .364 in the tournament, with two home runs, eight RBIs, seven runs scored and two stolen bases on two attempts.
Maggie Thurston earned three wins this weekend, pitching 13.2 innings and holding a 4.61 ERA. Thurston had five strikeouts and allowed three walks.
Erin Caviness showed the heat this weekend in the ABQ, recording 13 strikeouts and allowing no walks.
Reyna Caudillo batted .500, scoring three runs and getting one RBI this weekend.
Natalie Joyner had good tournament, batting .412 with four RBIs and four runs scored.
Paola Villegas went .389 in the five games this weekend, recording six RBIs, scoring five runs and hitting one home run.
As a team, UNC outscored its opponents, 38-22 in the five-game tournament.

What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado will host a home tournament next weekend, starting on Friday, March 6^th and running through Sunday, March 9^th. UNC will host Northern Iowa, Utah Valley and Nebraska-Omaha.