PREVIEW: UNC Baseball Heads to North Dakota State For Three-Game Conference Series

Friday, May 8

Fargo, N.D.

5:30 p.m. MDT

University of Northern Colorado

North Dakota State

5/6/2026 10:36:00 AM | Baseball

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado baseball hits the road this week, traveling to face North Dakota State for a three-game Summit League series. The Bears look to regroup and bounce back after a tough home series loss to Omaha, aiming to regain momentum as conference play continues.

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

LAST TIME OUT: Northern Colorado is coming off a close series loss against Omaha, where the Bears battled but ultimately dropped the set. Despite the outcome, UNC continued to show flashes offensively, with multiple players contributing key hits throughout the series. The Bears remained competitive in each contest.

NOTES ABOUT THE BEARS: UNC continues to produce solid numbers at the plate, hitting .276 as a team. Jaden Stone leads the way with a .344 average, while Logan Pruski (.320) and Sam Pease (.310) provide consistent support in the lineup. The Bears have demonstrated patience at the plate with 182 walks and the ability to generate scoring opportunities across the order. Defensively, Northern Colorado holds a .966 fielding percentage, showing reliability across the diamond. On the mound, Jake Storey, Reece Wagner, Ethan Louthan, and Trevor Landen continue to anchor the pitching staff, bringing experience and the ability to work deep into games.

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE: NDSU holds a 10–28 overall record and is 6–12 in conference play. Offensively, the team is batting .227 with 280 hits, 183 runs, and 34 home runs, posting a .356 slugging percentage and .331 on-base percentage while striking out 418 times. Kyle Law leads the lineup with a .329 average, while Colten Becker and Evan Gustafson each have a team-high seven home runs. Diego Trujillo (.265) and Caleb Corbin (.263) have combined for 63 hits and 36 RBIs. Defensively, the team has a .974 fielding percentage with 35 errors and 22 double plays, while opponents have gone 100-for-126 on stolen base attempts. On the mound, the staff has a 6.89 ERA with opponents' batting .308, allowing 390 hits and 276 runs across 316.1 innings. Sheamus Ryan leads the bullpen with a 1.57 ERA and three saves, while Jonah Walker (5.65 ERA) and Parker Puetz (5.73 ERA) have each made 10 starts.

SERIES OUTLOOK: This weekend presents an important opportunity for Northern Colorado to respond after last week's setback. With conference standings beginning to take shape, the Bears will look to put together complete performances on both sides of the ball and come away with key road victories.

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).