Softball Team Earns Win to Close Out California Trip

Sunday, February 26

San Jose, Calif.

10 am

University of Northern Colorado

6-9

Saint Mary's College

4-10

Saint Mary's

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Jam David

2/26/2023 6:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Wrapping up the Silicon Valley Classic, the Northern Colorado softball team defeated Saint Mary's 6-2 on Sunday afternoon, earning the second win against the Gaels over the weekend.

Saint Mary's got on the board in the first for the early lead, but UNC ended up stringing together nine hits to score six runs over a three-inning span starting in the third.

Paola Villegas recorded her fourth extra-base hit of the weekend, hitting a double to score Lauren Strathearn and Jayden Mercado to get the Bears on the board in the third. Nya Chaco followed up shortly after with her own double to score Villegas for the 3-1 lead.

In the fourth, a single from Alyssa Wenzel drove home Jaycie Gandert, before a wild pitch allowed Strathearn to cross home for a second time in as many innings.

Strathearn then earned an RBI on a fielder's choice to score Chacon for the Bears' sixth and final run of the contest.

Saint Mary's would end up scoring a late run in the seventh to make the final score 6-2.

Erin Caviness pitched the complete game, conceding just the two earned runs, and earned her second win of the weekend and fifth of the season.

BY THE NUMBERS

Both Paola Villegas and Lauren Strathearn recorded three hits in the contest, with Strathearn going 3-for-4 and Villegas going a perfect 3-for-3.
On the weekend, Villegas led the Bears in the batters box with a .533 average, recording eight hits in 15 at-bats, which included three doubles and one triple. Villegas also recorded a team-high five RBI on the weekend.
Both Strathearn and Alyssa Wenzel batted .500 on the weekend, as both went 9-for-18 and both scoring five runs each.
Alexsi Barashkoff batter .308 on the weekend, going 4-for-13, and was second on the team with four RBI.

UP NEXT
The Bears head to Las Cruces, N.M., next weekend March 4-5, for a pair of double headers against UTEP and New Mexico State each day. First pitch against UTEP on March 4 is set for 11 a.m. (MT).