University of Northern Colorado Athletics
University of Northern Colorado
23-20
Sacramento State
27-19
UNC Advances to Semifinals with Win over Sac State
5/11/2023 11:22:00 AM | Softball
Starting off in the top of the sixth inning with an 8-6 lead, the Bears came out hot and added four more runs to take a 12-6 lead. The Bears used a ground-out RBI from Alyssa Wenzel to score Sabrina Javorsky for the first run of the inning.
Amailee Morales followed up Wenzel with a double to center field to score Lainey Hanehan, who was pinch running for Paola Villegas. Alexsi Barashkoff then hit a double of her own to bring Morales home. Alison Steinker ended the scoring for the Bears with a single to center field to score Barashkoff for the 12-6 lead.
The Hornets gave the Bears a scare in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four runs on four hits with one error, but Isabell DiNapoli and the Bears closed out the inning for the 12-10 win.
Prior to the delay, as the teams began the contest on Wednesday night, 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. Javorsky hit a two RBI infield single to score Carson Fischer and Steinker. Lauren 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 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.
Erin Caviness earned the win for the Bears, throwing four innings with two strikeouts. DiNapoli earned her second save of the season throwing the final three innings for the Bears, striking out three batters.
UP NEXT
UNC and Idaho State are scheduled to begin their semifinal contest at 5 p.m. tonight. The winner will advance to the championship game on Saturday, May 13, at 1 p.m. The loser will play the remaining team in the losers' bracket on Friday, May 12, at 3:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Caviness, Erin (14-7)
L: Bertuccio, Marissa (14-9)
S: DiNapoli, Isabelle (2)
Batting:
2B: Strathearn, Lauren 1 ; Villegas, Paola 1 ; Morales, Amailee 1 ; Barashkoff, Alexsi 2
3B: Wenzel, Alyssa 1
RBI: Strathearn, Lauren 1 ; Wenzel, Alyssa 2 ; Morales, Amailee 1 ; Barashkoff, Alexsi 3 ; Steinker, Alison 2 ; Fischer, Carson 1 ; Javorsky, Sabrina 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Villegas, Paola 1 ; Wenzel, Alyssa 1 ; Morales, Amailee 2 ; Barashkoff, Alexsi 3 ; Steinker, Alison 1 ; Fischer, Carson 1 ; Javorsky, Sabrina 2 ; Hanehan, Lainey 1
SB: Osborne, Emma 1
HBP: Villegas, Paola 1
Batting:
2B: Ludwig, Gwen 1 ; Parish, Samantha 1
HR: Evans, Caroline 1
RBI: Walker, Jada 1 ; Ludwig, Gwen 1 ; Day, Lewa 1 ; Evans, Caroline 3 ; Marsh, Katie 2 ; Parish, Samantha 1
SF: Parish, Samantha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Walker, Jada 1 ; Ludwig, Gwen 2 ; Day, Lewa 1 ; Evans, Caroline 1 ; Echols, Kennedy 1 ; Marsh, Katie 1 ; Parish, Alexis 1 ; Parish, Samantha 1 ; Hanson, Haley 1
SB: Marsh, Katie 1 ; Parish, Alexis 1
CS: Marsh, Katie 1
