Bears Host Vikings in Big Sky Series at Gloria Rodriguez Field

GREELEY, Colo. - The Bears will host the Vikings for a three game series beginning with a doubleheader on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. The teams will meet for the series finale at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

Friday's game will be Pride Day, while Saturday will celebrate the Senior class.

GAME COVERAGE
A live stream will be available for the game provided by the Sacramento State athletic communications 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.

A LOOK AT THE BEARS
Northern Colorado softball returns to Big Sky action at home this weekend, hosting Portland State in the fourth conference series of the season. The Bears (12-27, 3-6 Big Sky) currently sit fifth in the league standings and are aiming to snap a six-game slide as they seek to climb the conference ladder.

Portland State (11-33, 4-5 Big Sky) enters just ahead of UNC, making this a pivotal series for both squads.

Offensively, the Bears are led by junior slugger Amailee Morales, who has emerged as one of the conference's most explosive hitters. She's posted a .376 batting average, .479 on-base percentage, and .761 slugging percentage, with 12 home runs, 29 RBIs, and 24 walks — all team highs.

Krista Francia has been another consistent force in the lineup, batting .354 with 8 doubles, 3 home runs, and 21 RBIs. Katie Walling continues to spark the offense, hitting .348 with a team-best 12 doubles and 46 hits, along with 8 stolen bases.

In the heart of the order, Ella Gonzales (.252, 5 HR, 20 RBIs) and Jazzy Longo (.230, 4 HR, 21 RBIs) have chipped in with timely hits and run production. Meanwhile, veterans Sabrina Javorsky and Nya Chacon provide additional power and experience at the plate.

As a team, UNC owns a .281 batting average with 31 home runs through 39 games.

On the pitching side, Isabelle DiNapoli (6-10, 6.22 ERA) leads the staff in innings pitched, eclipsing the 100-inning mark. Anna Wilming (5-10, 5.57 ERA) has added five complete games and has been reliable in the rotation. Together, they've started 34 of the team's 39 contests.

Third-year head coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm carries a 65-76 record at the helm of the program. The Bears have performed well at Gloria Rodriguez Field with a 5-2 home record, but have struggled on the road (2-15). With the season nearing the end of conference play, finding a rhythm both at home and away will be essential for a late push.

SCOUTING PORTLAND STATE
(Friday / 2 p.m. MDT (DH) | Saturday / 1 p.m. MDT)
The Portland State Vikings are 11-33 on the season and 2-12 on the road. They've won two straight and are 4-5 in Big Sky play as they head into the back half of conference action.

Offensively, the Vikings have shown flashes of power, posting double-digit runs in a handful of games, including an 11-7 win over Loyola Chicago and a 10-8 victory over Winthrop early in the year. Their bats came alive again on April 1, when they swept a doubleheader against Western Oregon, outscoring the Wolves 18-1 across two games.

On the mound, Portland State has leaned on a committee approach throughout the season. The pitching staff has had some tough outings, especially against ranked opponents and Power Five teams, but has also held opponents to three runs or fewer in seven games this season.

The Vikings are coming off series win against Montana last weekend, beating the Lady Griz in two of three games.

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. 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 head to Ogden, Utah for their last regular season road trip of the 2024-25 season. They will return home to host the Big Sky Championship May 6-9.

FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at uncbears.com. Follow the softball team on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsSB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsSB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsSB).

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Players Mentioned

Nya Chacon

Isabelle DiNapoli

Krista Francia

Ella Gonzales

Sabrina Javorsky

Jazzy Longo

Amailee Morales

Katie Walling

Anna Wilming

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