CHICAGO – Chicago State continued its final Great West Conference home series of the season at Brooks Field this afternoon in wet conditions as it fell to visiting Northern Colorado by a score of 14-2. The Bears improve to 22-27 (18-4) and the Cougars dropped to 8-36 (3-16) on the year.
The visitors claimed an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first that included an RBI double from junior Jarod Berggren, but senior Michael Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.) hit a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the first that evened the game at 2-2.
UNC recaptured its lead at 3-2 in the second inning when sophomore Harrison Lambert lined an RBI sacrifice fly to center field that scored senior Marcus Valenzuela, who reached base on a leadoff single, from third base.
The Bears scored five additional runs in the fourth inning to increase their advantage to 8-2 which was highlighted by a two-RBI single from Berggren and an RBI double by senior T.J. Berge.
Sophomore Adam Hilker connected on an RBI double in the fifth inning that plated Valenzuela to increase UNC's lead at 9-2 and added five more runs in the sixth inning to provide the final margin.
Carpen paced Chicago State by hitting 1-of-3 at the plate with two RBI and scored a run, while freshman Gavin Trevino (Jenison, MI/East Kentwood) (Jenison, Mich.) went 1-of-1. Junior started Steven O'Hair (Scottsdale, AZ/GateWay CC) (0-9) took the loss after allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits in five innings thrown.
Northern Colorado was led offensively by Hilker, who hit 3-of-5 with three RBI and scored once, and Valenzuela hit 3-of-4 with an RBI and scored four times. Freshman Chris Hammer (4-4) only gave up two runs on two hits in five innings of work to capture the win in addition to posting three strikeouts.
Both teams will conclude the series tomorrow morning with two nine-inning games at Brooks Field with a start time of 9 a.m.
~CSU~
