COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In what turned out to be a back-and-forth ballgame, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team outlasted the University of Northern Colorado to claim a 14-12 victory in a non-conference matchup against the NCAA Division I Bears on Tuesday afternoon.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UCCS 14, UNC 12
Records: UCCS (10-16, 2-6 RMAC) | UNC (4-17, 2-1 SUMMIT)
Facility | Location: Mountain Lion Park | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: With the win, the Mountain Lions split the four-game season series and improve to 2-3 all-time against the Bears.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After UCCS starting pitcher Marko Sipila stranded a pair of runners to keep the Bears scoreless in the top of the first inning, the Mountain Lion bats came to life in the bottom half of the frame to score four runs and take an early 4-0 lead. Hayden Iverson and Macully Sehr led off the inning with back-to-back walks and were promptly brought in to score on an opposite field, three-run home run from Kit Wigington before Kasey Campbell drove in the fourth run of the frame with an RBI double to left field.
- The momentum would shift in favor of the Bears in the top of the second inning as they went on to plate five runs in the frame to grab a 5-4 advantage. Following a sacrifice fly from Dominic Palma that got the scoring started for UNC, the Bears loaded the bases with two-outs and Austin Bunn managed to turn a fly ball to the left center field gap into an inside the park grand slam that gave his team the lead.
- After UNC added a pair of runs to their lead in the top of the third inning, UCCS began to claw back in the home half of the frame with Sehr coming in to score on a wild pitch to make it a 7-5 ballgame. The Mountain Lions continued to swing the bats in the bottom half of the fourth inning as a bases-loaded double by Iverson plated three more runs and helped UCCS regain a one-run lead, 8-7.
- The score would change hands again in the top of the fifth inning with three runs from the Bears making it a 10-8 game, but UCCS responded nicely in the bottom half of the frame to piece together a four-run inning that put them back in front by a score of 12-10.
- Following a scoreless sixth inning on both sides, the Mountain Lions stretched their lead by two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Wigington launched his second home run of the game to left center field and made it a 14-10 ballgame in favor of UCCS.
- UNC would add single runs in the eighth and ninth innings against the UCCS bullpen, but with runners on the corners in the final frame, Mountain Lion reliever Vander Hodges managed to strike out pinch-hitter Jacob Banister and secure the 14-12 non-conference win.
GAME STATISTICS
- The Mountain Lions and Bears combined to record 29 hits in the game, with UNC outhitting UCCS 16-13.
- Wigington had a monster day at the plate, posting a perfect 4-for-4 batting line with a walk, a double, two home runs, and six RBIs.
- Iverson was also a catalyst out of the leadoff spot in the order as he went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and four RBIs on the afternoon.
- Campbell also put together a strong performance at the dish, hitting doubles in each of his two plate appearances on the day with one RBI.
- Eight different Mountain Lions saw action on the mound, but it was southpaw John Hoffman (3-1) that picked up his third win of the season after three earned runs in his two innings of work.
- Hodges recorded the final out of the ballgame to earn his second save of the season.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- For Wigington, today marks the second time this season and fourth time in his career that he has hit two home runs in a single ballgame.
- Wigington's six RBI's also sit as the most in a single game by any Mountain Lion hitter this season. The redshirt sophomore is now tied for the team-lead with 21 RBIs on the season.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions continue their conference schedule this weekend with a four-game series against Colorado Christian University at Mountain Lion Park. First pitch for the first game of the series with the Cougars is set for 3 p.m. on Friday, March 31.
SOCIAL
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
