Bears Stun Falcons with Ninth-Inning Rally in 10-9 Victory

Tuesday, April 22

Greeley, Colo.

3 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

14-24

Air Force

16-25

Air Force

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Sophia Valencia, UNC Athletics

4/22/2025 7:49:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Northern Colorado rallies late behind Wagner’s three-run homer and Barber’s ninth-inning sac fly to notch third straight win in a back-and-forth battle at Jackson Field.

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Summit League Player of the Week Kai Wagner crushed a three-run homer and Nick Barber delivered a walk-off sac fly as Northern Colorado (14-24) rallied past Air Force (16-25), 10-9, in a wild Tuesday afternoon matchup at Jackson Field to secure their third straight win.

The Bears' offense erupted early and often, scoring five runs in the second inning to erase an early 1-0 deficit. After loading the bases with one out, Brandon Sanchez worked a bases-loaded walk to even the score before Anthony Stellato's RBI groundout gave Northern Colorado its first lead. Wagner (1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, BB), who has been on a tear at the plate, capped the inning with his eighth homer of the season—a no-doubter to right that gave the Bears a 5-1 advantage.

Northern Colorado continued to apply pressure with a straight steal of home by Sanchez in the fourth and an RBI single from Barber (3-for-4, 2 RBI, R, SB) in the fifth to push the lead to 7-3.

Air Force wouldn't go quietly. Chase Spencer (3-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI) slugged his second home run of the day in the seventh as part of a three-run frame that pulled the Falcons within one. After Northern Colorado tacked on a run in the eighth, Air Force stormed ahead in the top of the ninth with three more runs, including an RBI triple by Ben Niednagel to take a 9-8 lead.

But the Bears had one more rally in them.

Jake Bullard drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, and Jake King followed with a game-tying RBI triple to right-center. Dalton Miller then pinch hit and was hit by a pitch, followed by an intentional walk to Carter Monda that loaded the bases. After a lineout, Nick Barber sealed the win with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home King for the 10-9 walk-off victory.

Brady Hudson (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 K) earned the win in relief to move to 2-1 on the season, while Air Force's Gaines Estridge (2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) took the loss.

Northern Colorado finished with nine hits on the day and zero errors, and the Bears have now won three straight as they look to carry momentum into their weekend series against Omaha. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday afternoon, with Saturday and Sunday starting at 12 p.m.

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