University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Friday, March 28
Greeley, Colo.
2 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Montana
Photo by: Jesus Ayala, UNC Athletics
Bears Open Big Sky Play at Home
3/26/2025 11:35:00 AM | Softball
UNC hosts Montana for first conference series of the season
GREELEY, Colo. - The Bears open Big Sky play at Gloria Rodriguez Field this weekend, hosting Montana for a three-game series on March 28–29. The teams will play a doubleheader on Friday starting at 2 p.m., followed by a single game on Saturday at 12 p.m. Friday is First Responder Appreciation Day, and Saturday is Military Appreciation Day.
GAME COVERAGE
A live stream will be available for the game provided by the University of Northern Colorado's Bear Vision department through ESPN+. Fans can purchase a subscription at plus.espn.com. Live stats will also be provided for fans to stay up to date, provided by the UNC Strategic Communications department.
A LOOK AT THE BEARS
With nonconference play in the rearview, Northern Colorado softball shifts its focus to Big Sky action, opening the conference slate on the road against Montana this weekend.
The Bears (9-21) enter league play with momentum, having closed their final nonconference series with back-to-back home wins over Santa Clara. UNC's offense came alive on Sunday, scoring a combined 20 runs and showing the kind of depth and power that could make noise in the Big Sky race.
Third baseman Katie Walling leads the way at the plate with a .369 batting average, 38 hits, and 9 doubles. Infielder Amailee Morales provides a power punch with 8 home runs, 21 RBIs, and a .674 slugging percentage. The lineup has also seen steady contributions from Krista Francia (.353, 15 RBIs) and Ella Gonzales (.301, 5 home runs, 20 RBIs), helping the team to a .287 batting average and 30 home runs across 30 games.
In the circle, senior Isabelle DiNapoli has been the team's anchor, earning six wins with a 5.83 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 87.2 innings. Anna Wilming and Grace Algrim have also played key roles, with Wilming picking up her third win on Sunday and Algrim collecting a save.
The Bears will look to build off last year's success against Montana, when they picked up an 11-7 win in Missoula on April 7, 2024. With confidence brewing and the offense clicking, UNC heads into Big Sky play ready to make its mark.
Head Coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm is in her third season at UNC, registering a 62-70 record in that time.
SCOUTING MONTANA
(Friday / 2 p.m. (DH) | Saturday / 12 p.m.)
The Montana Lady Griz are 7-24 on the season and 1-10 on the road. They have played tough competition in the preseason, including Nebraska, Washington, and San Diego.
Montana was selected to finish last in the Big Sky Preseason poll after finishing the season last with a 1-14 conference record. This season, the Lady Griz are fifth in the conference in batting with a team average of .223 and fourth in pitching with a staff ERA of 6.47.
Montana's offense is lead by senior outfielder Presley Jantzi. Jantzi has a team high .333 batting average, .883 OPS, and .524 slugging percentage in 84 at bats. She is also leading the team in RBIs with 16.
Sophomore Brianna Lachermeier is leading the Lady Griz in the circle with a 5.44 ERA and a 2-5 record in 54.0 innings pitched. She holds opposing batters to a .340 batting average.
The Bears hold a 17-14 all-time record against the Lady Griz with are currently on a five game win streak. The last time UNC played UM was in April when the Bears won 11-7 in Missoula in April 2024. They hold a 7-5 record at home against the Lady Griz.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
As the 2025 softball season approaches, Northern Colorado has been named the preseason favorite in the Big Sky Conference Coaches' Poll. The Bears, who made history last season by sweeping both the regular-season and tournament titles for the first time, earned three first-place votes and topped the poll with 23 points. Head coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm's squad enters the new campaign with high expectations after a dominant 2024 run, and they will look to defend their title against a competitive field that includes Idaho State (21 points, two first-place votes) and Portland State (17 points, one first-place vote), both of whom made deep postseason runs last year.
Northern Colorado will also have the opportunity to host the 2025 Big Sky Softball Championship at Gloria Rodriguez Field from May 6-9, giving the Bears a home-field advantage as they aim for back-to-back titles. The team opens its season on Feb. 6 against Florida State in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, setting the stage for what promises to be another exciting year for UNC softball. Fans can follow the team's journey and all Big Sky action on social media using @BigSkyConf and the hashtag #ExperienceElevated.
UP NEXT
The Bears will travel to Pocatello, Idaho to play Idaho State April 4-5.
GAME COVERAGE
A live stream will be available for the game provided by the University of Northern Colorado's Bear Vision department through ESPN+. Fans can purchase a subscription at plus.espn.com. Live stats will also be provided for fans to stay up to date, provided by the UNC Strategic Communications department.
A LOOK AT THE BEARS
With nonconference play in the rearview, Northern Colorado softball shifts its focus to Big Sky action, opening the conference slate on the road against Montana this weekend.
The Bears (9-21) enter league play with momentum, having closed their final nonconference series with back-to-back home wins over Santa Clara. UNC's offense came alive on Sunday, scoring a combined 20 runs and showing the kind of depth and power that could make noise in the Big Sky race.
Third baseman Katie Walling leads the way at the plate with a .369 batting average, 38 hits, and 9 doubles. Infielder Amailee Morales provides a power punch with 8 home runs, 21 RBIs, and a .674 slugging percentage. The lineup has also seen steady contributions from Krista Francia (.353, 15 RBIs) and Ella Gonzales (.301, 5 home runs, 20 RBIs), helping the team to a .287 batting average and 30 home runs across 30 games.
In the circle, senior Isabelle DiNapoli has been the team's anchor, earning six wins with a 5.83 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 87.2 innings. Anna Wilming and Grace Algrim have also played key roles, with Wilming picking up her third win on Sunday and Algrim collecting a save.
The Bears will look to build off last year's success against Montana, when they picked up an 11-7 win in Missoula on April 7, 2024. With confidence brewing and the offense clicking, UNC heads into Big Sky play ready to make its mark.
Head Coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm is in her third season at UNC, registering a 62-70 record in that time.
SCOUTING MONTANA
(Friday / 2 p.m. (DH) | Saturday / 12 p.m.)
The Montana Lady Griz are 7-24 on the season and 1-10 on the road. They have played tough competition in the preseason, including Nebraska, Washington, and San Diego.
Montana was selected to finish last in the Big Sky Preseason poll after finishing the season last with a 1-14 conference record. This season, the Lady Griz are fifth in the conference in batting with a team average of .223 and fourth in pitching with a staff ERA of 6.47.
Montana's offense is lead by senior outfielder Presley Jantzi. Jantzi has a team high .333 batting average, .883 OPS, and .524 slugging percentage in 84 at bats. She is also leading the team in RBIs with 16.
Sophomore Brianna Lachermeier is leading the Lady Griz in the circle with a 5.44 ERA and a 2-5 record in 54.0 innings pitched. She holds opposing batters to a .340 batting average.
The Bears hold a 17-14 all-time record against the Lady Griz with are currently on a five game win streak. The last time UNC played UM was in April when the Bears won 11-7 in Missoula in April 2024. They hold a 7-5 record at home against the Lady Griz.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
As the 2025 softball season approaches, Northern Colorado has been named the preseason favorite in the Big Sky Conference Coaches' Poll. The Bears, who made history last season by sweeping both the regular-season and tournament titles for the first time, earned three first-place votes and topped the poll with 23 points. Head coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm's squad enters the new campaign with high expectations after a dominant 2024 run, and they will look to defend their title against a competitive field that includes Idaho State (21 points, two first-place votes) and Portland State (17 points, one first-place vote), both of whom made deep postseason runs last year.
Northern Colorado will also have the opportunity to host the 2025 Big Sky Softball Championship at Gloria Rodriguez Field from May 6-9, giving the Bears a home-field advantage as they aim for back-to-back titles. The team opens its season on Feb. 6 against Florida State in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, setting the stage for what promises to be another exciting year for UNC softball. Fans can follow the team's journey and all Big Sky action on social media using @BigSkyConf and the hashtag #ExperienceElevated.
UP NEXT
The Bears will travel to Pocatello, Idaho to play Idaho State April 4-5.
Players Mentioned
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