UNC Mirror

Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Ryan Joy University of Northern Colorado freshman infielder Adam Hilker tags Brigham Young University's Sean McNaughton at second base during the Bears' 17-10 loss to the Cougars on Tuesday afternoon at Jackson Field. The loss is the second in a two game home series against BYU. UNC previously lost to the Cougars 10-5 on Monday.

The University of Northern Colorado baseball team got themselves into a slugfest with the Brigham Young University Cougars on Tuesday at Jackson Field, but came up short on the scoreboard in a 17-10 defeat.

Junior designated hitter Kevin Sandberg was 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBI to lead the Bears offense.

"We did everything we could, but I guess we needed a couple more hits," Sandberg said.

The Cougars were able to jump out to 5-1 through two innings, which the Bears cut to 5-4 on a three-run home run by Sandberg in the bottom of the third.

However, the Bears were derailed when BYU got six unearned runs, including a pair of two-run homers in the top of the fourth. Bears' senior starting pitcher Jason Banks was chased from the game with two outs in the fourth after giving up the first of the two-run homers and walking the next two batters.

"We have what we call momentum innings," Bears coach Kevin Smallcomb said. "When we get some runs, we want to go out and throw up a goose egg on defense, so we can come back in and put up another crooked number. We didn't get any of those today."

With the Bears trailing, 14-7, in the bottom of the sixth, they got production from a pair of pinch hitters. Junior outfielder Andy Mees doubled to lead off the sixth, and freshman second baseman T.J. Berge followed with the first home run of his college career.

"Hitting is hitting," Mees said. "(Smallcomb) said that once we got the lefty out of there, I was gonna get a chance."

The Bears got the game as close as 14-10 after the eighth, but sophomore relief pitcher Eric Skufka coughed up three runs in the top of the ninth to give BYU a more comfortable cushion.

The Bears said that despite the BYU lead, they never felt they were out of the game. The Bears will conclude their home season this weekend with a three-game series against fellow Division I Independent Texas-Pan American. The series will get under way at 2 p.m. on Friday at Jackson Field.

"At this ballpark, the ball flies really well, it's definitely not a pitchers' park," Mees said. "We've seen 8, 9, 10 run innings here."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools