Gienger Dominant Again on the Mound

Saturday, March 15

Greeley, Colo.

12 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

6-13, 1-0

South Dakota State

1-12, 0-1

South Dakota State

UNC

3/15/2025 7:07:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Final Box Score Game 1 Final Box Score Game 2

Bears and South Dakota State Split Saturday’s Doubleheader

By: Michael High, Assistant Athletics Director for Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Murphy Gienger reached double-digit strikeouts for the second consecutive start in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader against South Dakota State at Jackson Field.

The senior from Castle Rock fanned 11 and picked up his first win of the season, as UNC upended the Jackrabbits 8-4. He matched a school record with 14 strikeouts in his last start, a no-decision against Utah Valley, Friday, March 14.

UNC scored in the first four frames, building a 7-1 advantage. The Jackrabbits scratched a run off Gienger in the first before the Bears answered with one in the home half of the frame. UNC added three in the second, two in the third and a solo tally in the fourth.

Gienger posted zeros until the sixth, when South Dakota State pushed across one. Working deeper than any start in his collegiate career, he allowed a single and double to open the eighth. Following a sacrifice fly, Gienger handed the ball to the Bears bullpen. Another sacrifice fly closed the book for Gienger, finishing with four runs allowed, scattering nine hits, with no walks and fanning 11.

Carter Monda, Brett Barber, James Wright and Craig Kenny registered two hits each. Kai Wagner, Jake King, Jake Bullard and Trey Oblas inked one apiece. Monda scored twice and drove in two more, while Barber crossed the plate twice and Wagner recorded two RBIs.

South Dakota State changed the narrative in the nightcap with two in the first and five in the second.

UNC sliced the deficit to two, at 7-5, with four in the third. The Jackrabbits responded with three in the fifth, with one in the bottom of the stanza and solo markers in the sixth and seventh frames. UNC pushed across solo runs in the first and fifth.

Tony Castonguay went 3-for-5 with a run scored and another driven in. Both Bullard and Wagner recorded two hits in five at-bats, with a run and an RBI. Wight, Oblas and Brandon Sanchez tallied a pair of knocks each.

Brady Hudson retired all six batters faced out of the Bullpen, with three via punchout.

The Bears moved to 10-4 against the Jackrabbits over the last three years, including seven-straight wins, with the victory in game one.

UNC and South Dakota State meet in the rubber game at Jackson Field at noon Sunday.