PREVIEW: Bears Claim No. 3 Seed, Open Tournament Play Against Omaha on Wednesday

Wednesday, May 20

Minneapolis, Minn.

5 p.m. MDT

University of Northern Colorado

Omaha

5/18/2026 11:25:00 AM | Baseball

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Northern Colorado baseball is headed to the postseason, earning the No. 3 seed in the Summit League Tournament. The Bears will open tournament play against Omaha on Wednesday at 5 p.m. MT at Siebert Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Fans can follow all the action live on Midco Sports Plus and via live stats, with updates provided throughout the game on UNC Baseball's social media platforms.

LAST TIME OUT: Northern Colorado secured its place in the Summit League Tournament with a strong regular season, putting together key wins down the stretch. The Bears continued to show resilience offensively, defensively and on the mound while competing in tight contests, building momentum heading into postseason play.

NOTES ABOUT THE BEARS: UNC enters the tournament hitting .277 as a team with 496 total hits and 281 RBIs across the season. Jaden Stone leads the offense with a .342 average and 65 hits, while Sam Pease (.343) has been one of the most efficient hitters in limited action. Brandon Sanchez adds power to the lineup with seven home runs and a .503 slugging percentage, while Logan Pruski (.299) has contributed 61 hits and a team-high 33 walks. The Bears have totaled 209 walks and 74 hit-by-pitches, consistently finding ways to get runners on base. Defensively, Northern Colorado owns a .968 fielding percentage with 35 double plays turned, showing reliability across the diamond. Behind the plate, Zeke Minic and Sam Pease have combined to handle 217 stolen base attempts. On the mound, Reece Wagner (5.78 ERA, 63 strikeouts) and Jake Storey (61.2 IP, 55 strikeouts) have anchored the rotation. As a staff, the Bears have recorded 375 strikeouts across 437.2 innings.

SCOUTING OMAHA: Omaha enters the tournament as a familiar opponent after facing the Bears in two three game series during the regular season. The Mavericks feature a balanced lineup capable of producing timely hits and applying pressure on the bases. On the mound, Omaha brings a mix of starting depth and bullpen arms that have proven effective in conference play.

TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK: With a top three seed secured, Northern Colorado looks to carry its momentum into Minneapolis and make a deep run in the Summit League Tournament.

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).