Northern Colorado Uses Five-Run Frame to Take Series Opener

Friday, May 2

Brookings, S.D.

2 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

17-26, 8-14

South Dakota State

12-29, 8-13

Northern Colorado

South Dakota State

Photo by: Sophia Valencia, UNC Athletics

5/2/2025 5:27:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Late-Inning Rally Lifts Northern Colorado Past South Dakota State

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

BROOKINGS, S.D. – A five-run eighth inning sparked Northern Colorado to a 9-6 comeback victory over South Dakota State on Friday afternoon at Erv Huether Field. The Bears (17-26, 8-14 Summit) erased a two-run deficit with a late offensive surge to take game one of the weekend series.

UNC came out strong, scoring twice in the first on RBI groundouts from Kai Wagner and and a single from Jake King. After trading early runs with SDSU, the Bears reclaimed the lead in the fourth on a Brett Barber RBI single to go up 4-3. But the Jackrabbits responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on a two-run double and a sac fly to make it 6-4.

After several quiet innings, the Bears' bats roared back in the eighth. Barber grounded out to short to score King and cut the deficit to one, before Carter Monda delivered a two-run single to give UNC a 7-6 lead. A pair of RBI groundouts by Barber and Wagner later in the inning gave the Bears insurance and capped the five-run frame.

Hunter Gibson (2-0) was stellar in relief, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just three hits to earn the win. Dylan Driessen (2-2) took the loss for SDSU after giving up three runs in the pivotal eighth inning.

Barber finished with two hits and two RBIs, while King went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Monda added a pair of RBIs and a run in the comeback win.

The teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m. for the second game of the series.

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Next Event

South Dakota State

L, 2-11

May 3 (Sat)

12 p.m.

Box Score Recap Watch Preview Live Stats History

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Gibson, Hunter (2-0)

L: Dylan Driessen (2-2)

Northern Colorado

Batting:

RBI: Monda, Carter 2 ; Barber, Brett 2 ; Wagner, Kai 2 ; King, Jake 1 ; Barber, Nick 1

SH: Barber, Nick 1 ; Stellato, Anthony 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Monda, Carter 1 ; Barber, Brett 1 ; Bullard, Jake 1 ; King, Jake 1 ; Kenny, Craig 1 ; Castonguay, Tony 1 ; Miller, Dalton 1 ; Barber, Nick 1 ; Stellato, Anthony 1