Softball Beats Montana; Leads Sac State in Paused Contest

Wednesday, May 10

Ogden, Utah

12 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

22-20

Montana

10-36

Montana

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Jam David

5/10/2023 11:19:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Live Stats vs Sac St.Watch Live vs Sac St.

OGDEN, Utah -- In the opening round of the 2023 Big Sky Conference Softball Championship, the Bears came to play, as they easily moved past Montana, 9-1, in six innings, putting their best foot forward on Wednesday afternoon. UNC continued their hot play in the quarterfinals against Sacramento State, as the teams played into the night and their game had to be halted due to darkness with the Bears leading 8-6 in the top of the sixth inning. The game will resume on Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. (MT).

VS MONTANA
In the opening game against the Griz, Lauren Strathearn earned a lead-off triple for the Bears and Alyssa Wenzel followed up with a single to center field for the early 1-0 lead. Alison Steinker then hit an RBI single to score Wenzel, as the Bears took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame.

UNC then added to its lead as Wenzel hit her own triple in the fourth inning with the bases loaded, giving the Bears a 5-0 advantage. Amailee Morales followed up with a sacrifice fly to allowe Wenzel to complete her trip around the bases.

In the top of the sixth, Montana score their lone run, but UNC continued to pile on the runs in the bottom of the inning. Morales had an RBI grounder to score Strathearn to give the Bears a 7-1 lead. Alexisi Barashkoff hit an RBI single to score Peyton Gale for the 8-1 lead. Steinker finished the scoring for the Bears with her third hit of the game, scoring Barashkoff for the walk-off, run-rule victory.

Isabelle DiNapoli earned the win in the circle for the Bears, pitching all six innings with only one earned run against, while striking out three Montana batters.

VS SACRAMENTO STATE
As the Bears advanced to the quarterfinals, taking on the No. 2 seed Sacramento State, the Hornets took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. UNC responded in the top of the next inning with three runs to take the lead from the Hornets. Sabrina Javorsky hit a two RBI infield single to score Carson Fischer and Steinker. Strathearn followed up with an RBI double to score Javorsky to give the Bears a 3-1 lead.

Sac State score a solo run off a home run in the bottom of the second to cut UNC's lead to 3-2.

Northern Colorado added two more runs in the top of the third as Barashkoff doubled to left field to score Morales, with Steinker following up with a single to center to score Barashkoff for the 5-2 lead.

The Hornets responded, scoring two runs in both the third and fourth innings to take back the lead with a 6-5 advantage.

In the top of the fifth, Wenzel hit her second triple of the day, scoring Paola Villegas to tie the game. Barashkoff singled to score Wenzel, and Fischer used an RBI grounder to score Barashkoff for the 8-6 lead.

As the diamond succumbed to nighttime, the decision was made to suspend the game after the fifth inning and to resume the contest the next morning starting things off with UNC at the bat for the top of the sixth.

UP NEXT
Should UNC defeat Sacramento State in the continuation tomorrow morning, the Bears will face the No. 1 seed Idaho State in the semifinals at 5 p.m., otherwise the Bears will play Weber State in the elimination bracket at 2:30 p.m.