March 22, 2008

Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. - In the third day of the Bob Schaefer Memorial Tournament hosted by Arizona State, the University of Northern Colorado baseball team dropped a 9-6 decision to fifth-ranked UC Irvine. The Bears are now 1-2 in the tournament and 6-15 on the season. The Anteaters improve to 16-1 with the victory.

Both teams committed three errors and stranded 11 runners in the contest, but UCI scored nine runs on 16 hits, while the Bears scored six runs on 11 hits.

UC Irvine scored three runs in the top half of the first inning and never trailed again, though the Bears threatened several times. NC scored two runs in the bottom of the first for the 3-2 game after just one inning of play.

Senior short stop Cory Morales, who went 4-for-5 in the game with two runs scored and an RBI, tallied the team's first hit, a double to left field with one out. Senior Andy Mees followed that up with a walk and both advanced one base on a ground out by junior Kevin Sandberg.  Senior Chad Murray singled, scoring both.

Irvine added three more runs in the second and two in the fourth before the Bears plated three runs in the fifth.

T.J. Berge reached second on an error to lead off and moved to third on a ground out by senior Adam Symons. Morales then singled up the middle for one of his RBI. With two outs, Sandberg singled and then both Morales and Sandberg moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch and scored on a Murray single.

The Anteaters scored one in the sixth and the Bears answered with one in their half of the inning to account for all of the scoring in the game. Sean Zyer reached on a fielding error, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a Berge single. NC stranded two runners in both the seventh and ninth innings and one in the eighth.

Senior T.R. Keating threw the first three innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits, walking one and striking out one. Matt Buck also pitched three frames, giving up three runs on four hits, walking two and fanning three. Dan Kazell was on the hill for two innings and Cody Henry pitched the final frame, each allowing just one hit and walking one each. Kazell fanned two and Henry struck out one. Keating was assessed the loss, bringing his season record to 2-3.

Northern Colorado closes out the tournament tomorrow against Florida International at noon Pacific. The Bears then travel back to Lincoln for a two-game set against Nebraska on Tuesday and Wednesday. The two teams met earlier this year with the Huskers winning all four games in the series.