University of Northern Colorado Athletics
UNC Takes Series Against Omaha with DH Split Saturday
3/23/2024 9:46:00 PM | Baseball
GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado won its Summit League weekend series against Omaha with a split in Saturday's doubleheader at Jackson Field.
The Bears (2-22, 2-4 Summit League) fell 8-4 in the opener, before winning via a run rule for the second time on the weekend. They defeated the Mavericks 15-5 in the nightcap.
UNC banged out a season high 16 hits in the finale and matched their highest total.
In game two, the Bears jumped out to a 7-0 advantage through two innings. They sent nine batters to the plate in the first, with five of the final six reaching safely and four of those three scored. Kai Wagner and Carter Monda delivered RBI singles, while Dalton Miller tallied a run-batted-in when he reached on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.
The Bears' offense picked up where it left off in the second, with four of 10 to make an appearance at the plate registering a run scored. Brandon Sanchez and Kai Wagner drove in one each with a single, while Monda recorded his first-career home run, driving in Kai Wagner.
After surrendering four runs in the fourth, UNC reestablished its seven-run advantage at 11-4 in the home half of the frame. The Bears tallied four runs without a hit.
Omaha recouped one tally in the top of the fifth, but three Bears crossed the plate in the bottom of the frame, expanding the gap to 14-5.
Needing one run to end the game under the mercy rule, Kai Wagner walked on four pitches to lead off the eight. Austin Bunn – who pinch hit for Jackson Meier – lined the third pitch into the left field corner for a walk-off triple as Kai Wagner slid in ahead of the relay throw.
Zinicola went 3-for-4, with two runs scored, one run-batted-in and a stolen base. Kai Wagner went 4-for-4, including a double, with five runs scored and two RBIs. He reached five times, with one by a catcher's interference – the second of the day.
Monda homered with two singles, scoring twice and driving in three. Meier delivered a pair of hits, three runs and an RBI before being lifted for Bunn. Sanchez, Miller, Sam Pease and Gross joined Bunn with a knock each.
Murphy Gienger earned his first win of the season with 2.2 innings of relief, surrendering one run on four hits, three walks and fanning two.
In game one, UNC led 1-0, after one inning on a two-out RBI single by Garrett Fisher.
Omaha pushed across the equalizer in the next half inning but the Bears responded with a solo tally in the bottom of the frame. Monda led off with a single up the middle and stole second and third. He scampered home on a groundout by Zinicola.
The Mavericks built a 5-2 edge with three in the third and one in the fourth. They widened the gap with two more in the sixth but the Bears answered with two in the home half of the frame.
With two outs and no one on, Monda reached on a hit-by-pitch and scored on a double by Sanchez into the left-center gap. Pease shot a sharp grounder back up the middle on the second pitch he saw, chasing Sanchez home to cut the margin to 7-4.
Omaha added an insurance run in the seventh.
Zinicola tallied two hits, including a double. Sanchez tallied his first double of the season, while Caden Wagner, Fisher, Monda, Jackson Romero and Pease recorded a base hit each.
Up Next
The Bears hit the road for a Summit League series against South Dakota State Thursday, March 28 – Saturday, March 30. The first pitch for Thursday's game is set for 2 p.m., while the final two games begin at noon.
The Bears (2-22, 2-4 Summit League) fell 8-4 in the opener, before winning via a run rule for the second time on the weekend. They defeated the Mavericks 15-5 in the nightcap.
UNC banged out a season high 16 hits in the finale and matched their highest total.
In game two, the Bears jumped out to a 7-0 advantage through two innings. They sent nine batters to the plate in the first, with five of the final six reaching safely and four of those three scored. Kai Wagner and Carter Monda delivered RBI singles, while Dalton Miller tallied a run-batted-in when he reached on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.
The Bears' offense picked up where it left off in the second, with four of 10 to make an appearance at the plate registering a run scored. Brandon Sanchez and Kai Wagner drove in one each with a single, while Monda recorded his first-career home run, driving in Kai Wagner.
After surrendering four runs in the fourth, UNC reestablished its seven-run advantage at 11-4 in the home half of the frame. The Bears tallied four runs without a hit.
Omaha recouped one tally in the top of the fifth, but three Bears crossed the plate in the bottom of the frame, expanding the gap to 14-5.
Needing one run to end the game under the mercy rule, Kai Wagner walked on four pitches to lead off the eight. Austin Bunn – who pinch hit for Jackson Meier – lined the third pitch into the left field corner for a walk-off triple as Kai Wagner slid in ahead of the relay throw.
Zinicola went 3-for-4, with two runs scored, one run-batted-in and a stolen base. Kai Wagner went 4-for-4, including a double, with five runs scored and two RBIs. He reached five times, with one by a catcher's interference – the second of the day.
Monda homered with two singles, scoring twice and driving in three. Meier delivered a pair of hits, three runs and an RBI before being lifted for Bunn. Sanchez, Miller, Sam Pease and Gross joined Bunn with a knock each.
Murphy Gienger earned his first win of the season with 2.2 innings of relief, surrendering one run on four hits, three walks and fanning two.
In game one, UNC led 1-0, after one inning on a two-out RBI single by Garrett Fisher.
Omaha pushed across the equalizer in the next half inning but the Bears responded with a solo tally in the bottom of the frame. Monda led off with a single up the middle and stole second and third. He scampered home on a groundout by Zinicola.
The Mavericks built a 5-2 edge with three in the third and one in the fourth. They widened the gap with two more in the sixth but the Bears answered with two in the home half of the frame.
With two outs and no one on, Monda reached on a hit-by-pitch and scored on a double by Sanchez into the left-center gap. Pease shot a sharp grounder back up the middle on the second pitch he saw, chasing Sanchez home to cut the margin to 7-4.
Omaha added an insurance run in the seventh.
Zinicola tallied two hits, including a double. Sanchez tallied his first double of the season, while Caden Wagner, Fisher, Monda, Jackson Romero and Pease recorded a base hit each.
Up Next
The Bears hit the road for a Summit League series against South Dakota State Thursday, March 28 – Saturday, March 30. The first pitch for Thursday's game is set for 2 p.m., while the final two games begin at noon.
Players Mentioned
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