PREVIEW: UNC Baseball Returns Home for Three-Game Homestand

Friday, March 27

Greeley, Colo.

2 p.m. MDT

University of Northern Colorado

South Dakota State

3/25/2026 10:11:00 AM | Baseball

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. - Northern Colorado baseball is back at Jackson Field this weekend for a three-game conference series against South Dakota State. The series begins Friday, March 27, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. MDT. Saturday and Sunday's games are both scheduled to start at 12 p.m. MDT.

Fans can follow all the action with a live stream available on Midco Sports along with live stats provided throughout the game to keep up with every pitch and play.

LAST TIMEOUT: Northern Colorado claimed the series over Omaha with a strong combination of offense and timely pitching, winning two of three games. The Bears opened with an 11-4 victory behind a 14-hit performance, highlighted by Logan Pruski, Easton Bryant, and Jaden Stone, while Trevor Landen closed it out on the mound. Saturday featured an 11-inning back-and-forth battle, as Mason Griffin and Sam Pease led the offense, but Omaha walked it off for a 12-11 win. UNC responded in the finale with an 8-7 extra-inning victory, as Griffin delivered the go-ahead RBI in the 10th and the bullpen secured the win, clinching the series.

NOTES ABOUT THE BEARS: Northern Colorado heads into the weekend with a 3-2 mark in conference. Offensively, the Bears are hitting .275 as a team, led by Logan Pruski (.343) and Zeke Minic (.367), with consistent contributions from Jaden Stone and Sam Pease. The lineup has shown the ability to generate traffic with 240 hits and aggressive base running. Defensively, the Bears have been reliable with a .965 fielding percentage, showing the ability to make routine plays and limit extra chances. On the mound, the staff has tallied 178 strikeouts.

SCOUTING THE JACKRABBITS: SDSU holds a 7–17 overall record, with a 2-4 mark in Summit league play. At the plate, they're led by Owen Siegert (.337) and Nolan Grawe (.323), with solid depth from Carter Taylor and Nate Wachter, helping the team hit a respectable .260 overall with on-base ability (.369). On the mound, the Jackrabbits hold a 7.31 team ERA and a .289 opponent batting average. Defensively, the team carries at an impressive .975 fielding percentage.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
Overall Series: SDSU leads 28-27 (since 2001)
Last Meeting: SDSU 10, UNC 2 (May 4, 2025, in Brookings)
Current Trend: In their last 10 match ups, the Bears hold a 7-3 record.

ON DECK: After wrapping up their three-game home stand, the Bears will travel to face Air Force in a midweek clash with the Falcons, then continue to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to resume conference action against Oral Roberts.

DIAMOND CLUB
The Diamond Club plays a vital role in supporting the UNC Baseball program. By giving to the Diamond Club, you help provide access to facility enhancements—such as the Jackson Field Turf Project—along with advanced technology and elevated daily operations, giving our student-athletes the resources to compete and excel at the highest level.

Give to the Diamond Club today!

FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, visit uncbears.com. Follow the baseball team on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsBSB) and Instagram (@UNC_BearsBaseball).