Bears Fall in Series Opener at NDSU Despite 10-Hit Night

Thursday, April 17

Fargo. N.D.

5:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. CDT)

University of Northern Colorado

11-24, 4-12

North Dakota State

13-20, 10-5

Northern Colorado

North Dakota State

4/17/2025 9:31:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Northern Colorado stays within striking distance until late innings but can’t overcome Bison’s big sixth and eighth in 11-3 loss; Friday’s game time moved to 3 p.m. MDT due to weather.

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

FARGO, N.D. – Northern Colorado (11-24, 4-12 Summit) kept things close through the middle innings but couldn't overcome a big sixth and eighth from North Dakota State (13-20, 10-5 Summit), falling 11-3 in Thursday night's series opener at Newman Outdoor Field.

SCHEDULE UPDATE
Due to expected cold temperatures, Friday's game time has been moved up to 3 p.m. MDT and the series finale on Saturday will now begin at 11 a.m. MDT.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bears tallied 10 hits on the night, including multi-hit games from Kai Wagner (3-for-5), Jake Bullard (2-for-4), and Brett Barber (2-for-4). Wagner drove in the team's first run in the fifth, and Northern Colorado pulled within three in the eighth thanks to RBI efforts from Bullard and Nick Barber. Despite their offensive efforts, the Bears were held off the board in seven of nine innings and left 10 runners stranded.

Murphy Gienger (1-3) got the start for Northern Colorado and worked into the sixth, striking out seven but allowing five earned runs on nine hits. Dylan Smith and Gus Allred followed out of the bullpen, with North Dakota State tacking on five more runs in the eighth to break the game open.

The Bison finished with 15 hits and saw eight different players record at least one. A four-run sixth highlighted by an RBI triple and back-to-back run-scoring singles gave NDSU a lead it wouldn't surrender. The Bison added five more in the eighth, capped by a solo homer from Blake Timmons and an RBI single from Sam Canton.

Game two of the series is set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. MDT as the Bears look to even things up in Fargo.

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