Bears Win a Pair of Walk-Offs on Senior Day

Saturday, April 19

Greeley, Colo.

12 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

13-27, 0

Portland State

11-34, 0

Portland State

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Kassidy Schwartz, UNC Athletics

4/19/2025 6:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Northern Colorado Softball combined for 23 hits between the two games

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado softball delivered a dramatic doubleheader sweep of Portland State on Saturday afternoon at Gloria Rodriguez Field, notching back-to-back walk-off wins. The Bears (14-27, 5-6 Big Sky) combined an explosive offensive performance in the opener with a thrilling comeback in game two to close out the three-game series in unforgettable fashion.

UNC opened the day with an emphatic 11-2 run-rule win in five innings, then rallied from a six-run deficit in the second game to stun the Vikings 8-7 in walk-off style.

Game 1 | Northern Colorado 11, Portland State 2 (5 Inn.)
Pitching: (W) Isabelle DiNapoli (7-10); (L) Gracie Walters (3-8)
Northern Colorado wasted no time in game one, erupting for a season-high 11 runs on 11 hits. Isabelle DiNapoli turned in a strong performance in the circle, allowing just two runs (one earned) over five innings to pick up her seventh win of the season.

Ella Gonzales led the offense with a two-hit, three-RBI performance, including the walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. Katie Walling and Sabrina Javorsky each collected two hits and two RBIs, while Krista Francia scored three times and drove in one.

After Francia opened the scoring in the first on a Javorsky single, UNC broke things open with a four-run second inning. Jazzy Longo blasted a solo home run, Francia and Gonzales each delivered RBI singles, and a bases-loaded walk by Nya Chacon extended the lead to 5-1.

Javorsky added her second RBI single in the fourth, and the Bears poured it on in the fifth. Walling drove in two with a double, then stole home, and Gonzales ended it with a no-doubt shot to left-center to seal the 11-2 run-rule win.

Game Two | Northern Colorado 8, Portland State 7
Pitching: (W) Aiyana Cordero (2-0); (L) Grace Kimball (3-18)
The second game was a tale of resilience. Down 6-0 after four innings, the Bears mounted a furious rally, scoring five in the fifth and three more over the final two frames to walk it off once again.

The comeback began with Walling breaking the shutout with an RBI single. A wild pitch brought in another run, and with two outs, Longo cleared the bases with a clutch three-run double to center, trimming the deficit to 6-5.

After the Vikings added a run in the sixth to go up 7-5, Amailee Morales crushed a solo homer to left-center in the bottom half, making it a one-run game. Then in the seventh, Abby Gaona drew a leadoff walk, and Walling delivered the final blow — a two-run walk-off homer to left-center.

Morales finished the game 3-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored. Walling also had three RBIs, including the game-winner, while Jaycie Gandert added a 3-for-4 effort with a run scored. Longo's three-run double in the fifth was a pivotal moment that helped swing the momentum.

On the mound, UNC used three pitchers. Grace Algrim was steady through the middle innings to keep Portland State in check, and Aiyana Cordero earned the win with a scoreless seventh.

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.

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