Ninth-Inning Costly for MSUB Baseball in 7-6 Loss at Northern Colorado

Box Score

GREELEY, Colo. – After scoring two runs in the top of the ninth to take a 6-5 lead, the Montana State Billings baseball team surrendered two runs in the bottom half to fall to Division I Northern Colorado Friday afternoon.  With the loss, MSUB drops to 1-4 on the year, while UNC is 1-0.

“I’m proud of the guys, they fought hard until the end,” MSUB head coach Chris Brown said.  “We just have to regroup, get ready to play tomorrow and keep plugging away – the wins will come if we keep playing hard and do the little things well.”

The Yellowjackets got on the board first in the top half of the second as they scored two runs on three hits with one costly Bear error for a 2-0 lead.  The Bears cut the deficit in the bottom half of the inning as Kevin Sandberg led-off the inning with a solo shot to left center.

The Bears took the lead in the fifth as they plated three runs on a three run home run by Andy Mees for a 4-2 lead.  The Yellowjackets evened the score in the top of the seventh as Nick Harris singled through the right side scoring two runs for a 4-4 score.

Just as in the second inning, the Bears had the answer in the bottom of the seventh as they plated another run courtesy of a Yellowjacket miscue for a 5-4 lead. 

Yellowjacket hurler, Steve Scott went 6.2 innings, allowing six hits, five runs – four earned, two walks and he fanned three. 

MSUB plated two more runs in the ninth on its last out as Stefan Malkuch got things going with a single to center field.  Moments later, Jesse Finley singled through the right side scoring Ryan Skillern who pinch ran for Harris.  Andrew Hernandez singled to center field and advanced to second on a fielding error by the second baseman scoring Finley for a 6-5 lead. 

In the bottom half, Casey Coy hit a lead-off double to put the Bears in business.  The third Yellowjacket error of the game plated the equalizing run moments later on a single by Adam Hiker who advanced to second on the error and to third on a wild pitch from Yellowjacket reliever Jeff Bjorklund. 

That brought up Tyler Borzileri who fouled out to first base way down the foul line near the dugout.  The throw from Joe Via was not in time to catch Hiker at the plate as UNC won 7-6.

Bjorklund (1-1) takes the loss as he went 1.2 innings, allowing three hits, two runs – one earned no walks and two strikeouts.  Offensively, the Yellowjackets banged out 14 hits with three players each with three hits.  Harris was 3 for 5 with two RBI, while Patch Wirtzberger was 3 for 4 with a RBI and so was Finley.  Mees was 1 for 4 with the big three-run home run to lead UNC.

The teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m.  Fans can watch the live stats at www.uncbears.com.  The series will conclude Sunday with a single game beginning at 12 p.m.