University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Thursday, April 17
Fargo. N.D.
5:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. CDT)
University of Northern Colorado
at
North Dakota State
Bears Head to Fargo for Series Against NDSU
4/15/2025 7:10:00 AM | Baseball
Northern Colorado looks to climb the conference standings in a three-game set with the Bison, starting Thursday at Newman Outdoor Field.
GREELEY, Colo. - The Bears will travel to Fargo, North Dakota for three Summit League games against the North Dakota State Bison April 17-19. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MDT on Thursday and Friday, and 12 p.m. MDT on Saturday.
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GAME COVERAGE
A live stream will be available for the game provided by the North Dakota State Athletic Communications department through the Summit League Network. Live stats will also be provided for fans to stay up to date, provided by the North Dakota State Athletic Communications department.
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A LOOK AT THE BEARS
Northern Colorado baseball prepares to travel to North Dakota State for a pivotal three-game series at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota.
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Since their first matchup in 2003, the Bears and Bison have met 51 times, with NDSU holding a 32-19 lead in the all-time series. However, the recent history has been more balanced, with UNC going 5-5 in the last 10 meetings. That includes a thrilling 4-3 victory on March 22—the Bears' narrowest win in the series. Their most recent meeting on March 23 saw UNC fall in a high-scoring battle, 11-8. The Bears' largest margin of victory came in 2018 with a 17-4 win in Greeley.
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Northern Colorado (11-23, 4-11 Summit) aims to bounce back from that March loss and gain ground in the conference standings. The Bears have found a consistent offensive rhythm, averaging over seven runs per game while batting .282 as a team with a .392 OBP.
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Brett Barber leads the lineup with a .353 average and .875 OPS, while Kai Wagner paces the squad with 38 RBI, six home runs, and a .450 on-base percentage. Jake King (.328) and Jake Bullard (.321) continue to anchor the middle of the order, with King also tallying 10 doubles and 22 RBI across 34 games.
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On the mound, Murphy Gienger leads the staff with 50.1 innings pitched and 52 strikeouts across nine appearances. Jake Storey has logged 41.1 innings in nine starts, while Luke Guest and Mason Bright have delivered key innings in relief roles.
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The Bears put up 18 runs on 19 hits in a decisive 18-10 win against ORU on Sunday, led by shortstop Brandon Sanchez who went 3-for-5 behind the plate with six RBIs. Jake Storey picked up his first win of the season, working 5.2 innings and allowing six earned runs while striking out four.
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SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE
(Thurs.-Sat. | April 17-19 | 5:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 12 p.m.)
The Bison are coming off a strong showing in their weekend series against St. Thomas, taking two of three games at home in Fargo. North Dakota State capped the series with a 6-1 win on Sunday, April 13, and has now won five of its last seven contests. With a 4-1 home record and some momentum behind them, the Bison will look to stay hot as they continue Summit League play.
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Offensively, NDSU has leaned on consistent production from junior outfielder Jake Schaffner, who leads the team with a .373 batting average and .468 slugging percentage. Schaffner has racked up 47 hits, including five doubles and two triples, while driving in 10 runs and swiping 11 bases on the season. He's been a spark at the top of the lineup and a tough out for opposing pitchers.
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Colten Becker (.292 AVG, .420 OBP, 22 RBIs) and Dante Smith (.292 AVG, .367 OBP, 15 RBIs) have also been key contributors, while Sam Canton (.282 AVG) has added some depth in the order. Together, they'll aim to keep the bats rolling as NDSU looks to climb above .500 in conference play, where they currently sit 9-5.
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On the mound, the Bison have relied on a committee approach, but continued success will hinge on getting quality innings from their starters and keeping the bullpen fresh. Though NDSU has struggled on the road (8-18), their recent stretch of wins—including a 3-2 midweek victory over Creighton on April 8—shows they're finding ways to compete in close games.
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UP NEXT
The Bears will host five games over a seven day period, hosting Air Force on April 22 and 29, and Omaha April 25-27.
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FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at uncbears.com. Follow the baseball team on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsBSB) and Instagram (@UNC_BearsBaseball).
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GAME COVERAGE
A live stream will be available for the game provided by the North Dakota State Athletic Communications department through the Summit League Network. Live stats will also be provided for fans to stay up to date, provided by the North Dakota State Athletic Communications department.
Â
A LOOK AT THE BEARS
Northern Colorado baseball prepares to travel to North Dakota State for a pivotal three-game series at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota.
Â
Since their first matchup in 2003, the Bears and Bison have met 51 times, with NDSU holding a 32-19 lead in the all-time series. However, the recent history has been more balanced, with UNC going 5-5 in the last 10 meetings. That includes a thrilling 4-3 victory on March 22—the Bears' narrowest win in the series. Their most recent meeting on March 23 saw UNC fall in a high-scoring battle, 11-8. The Bears' largest margin of victory came in 2018 with a 17-4 win in Greeley.
Â
Northern Colorado (11-23, 4-11 Summit) aims to bounce back from that March loss and gain ground in the conference standings. The Bears have found a consistent offensive rhythm, averaging over seven runs per game while batting .282 as a team with a .392 OBP.
Â
Brett Barber leads the lineup with a .353 average and .875 OPS, while Kai Wagner paces the squad with 38 RBI, six home runs, and a .450 on-base percentage. Jake King (.328) and Jake Bullard (.321) continue to anchor the middle of the order, with King also tallying 10 doubles and 22 RBI across 34 games.
Â
On the mound, Murphy Gienger leads the staff with 50.1 innings pitched and 52 strikeouts across nine appearances. Jake Storey has logged 41.1 innings in nine starts, while Luke Guest and Mason Bright have delivered key innings in relief roles.
Â
The Bears put up 18 runs on 19 hits in a decisive 18-10 win against ORU on Sunday, led by shortstop Brandon Sanchez who went 3-for-5 behind the plate with six RBIs. Jake Storey picked up his first win of the season, working 5.2 innings and allowing six earned runs while striking out four.
Â
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE
(Thurs.-Sat. | April 17-19 | 5:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 12 p.m.)
The Bison are coming off a strong showing in their weekend series against St. Thomas, taking two of three games at home in Fargo. North Dakota State capped the series with a 6-1 win on Sunday, April 13, and has now won five of its last seven contests. With a 4-1 home record and some momentum behind them, the Bison will look to stay hot as they continue Summit League play.
Â
Offensively, NDSU has leaned on consistent production from junior outfielder Jake Schaffner, who leads the team with a .373 batting average and .468 slugging percentage. Schaffner has racked up 47 hits, including five doubles and two triples, while driving in 10 runs and swiping 11 bases on the season. He's been a spark at the top of the lineup and a tough out for opposing pitchers.
Â
Colten Becker (.292 AVG, .420 OBP, 22 RBIs) and Dante Smith (.292 AVG, .367 OBP, 15 RBIs) have also been key contributors, while Sam Canton (.282 AVG) has added some depth in the order. Together, they'll aim to keep the bats rolling as NDSU looks to climb above .500 in conference play, where they currently sit 9-5.
Â
On the mound, the Bison have relied on a committee approach, but continued success will hinge on getting quality innings from their starters and keeping the bullpen fresh. Though NDSU has struggled on the road (8-18), their recent stretch of wins—including a 3-2 midweek victory over Creighton on April 8—shows they're finding ways to compete in close games.
Â
UP NEXT
The Bears will host five games over a seven day period, hosting Air Force on April 22 and 29, and Omaha April 25-27.
Â
FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at uncbears.com. Follow the baseball team on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsBSB) and Instagram (@UNC_BearsBaseball).
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Players Mentioned
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