BOX SCORE
GREELEY, Colorado- The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team lost their third straight Great West Conference game, and fourth overall as they dropped their series opener 11-6 to the Northern Colorado Bears Friday afternoon at Jackson Field.
The Broncs (16-14. 6-3 GWC) scored the first run of the game in the opening frame. Adrian De La Rosa singled up the middle to lead off the game and advanced to second on an error by the centerfielder. Roger Bernal then came up and drove home De La Rosa with an RBI double to the gap in right-center to give UTPA the 1-0 advantage.
Northern Colorado (9-26, 5-4 GWC) responded with a run in the bottom half the first. The Bears blew their first opportunity at their first run when shortstop Adam Hilker was tagged out in a run down between third base and home. Later in the inning UNC loaded the bases and when a Mike Zouzalik pitch hit Casey Coy, T.J. Berge scored to tie the game at 1-1.
The Broncs regained the lead in the second inning. Iradier Hernandez led off the second with a double to right field. Two batters later Bernal grounded out to second base, scoring Hernandez from third to put the Broncs back in front 2-1.
The Bears then went an offensive tear over their next four times at bat scoring 10 consecutive runs against the Bronc pitching staff. In the second UNC had the bases loaded, with all three reaching via the base-on-balls. The Broncs replaced Zouzalik to bring in Jonathan Sa with two outs and the bases loaded. Ben Packard, Sa's first batter, doubled down the right-field line to drive in all three runs to put UNC on top 4-2.
The Bears scored three more runs in the third, and two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to lead UTPA 11-2 after five innings.
The Broncs attempted a rally in the seventh, scoring three runs on four hits to pull within six runs at 11-5. Angel Ibañez, Mike McCarthy and Brandon Roush each drove in a run during the seventh inning charge for the Broncs. Ibañez extended hitting streak to a team-best 13 games with his RBI single in the seventh
UTPA scored a single run in the eighth on an RBI single by De La Rosa but the Broncs would not pull any close in the 11-6 defeat.
UNC's Joe Willman (W, 4-3) earned the victory pitching 6.2 innings allowing five runs, all earned, walking three and striking out two. Zouzalik (L, 3-2) took the defeat for the Broncs lasting just 1.2 innings allowing four runs, three earned with four walks.
The Broncs and Bears will battle in a doubleheader starting Saturday morning. Luis Flores (1-2, 2.62 ERA) will take the ball for the Broncs in the early game with Cody Plunk (1-3, 5.45 ERA) taking the ball in the nightcap. The Bears will counter with Joe Sawicki (2-6, 7.88 ERA) will start the opener and Josh Boyer (0-1, 7.09 ERA) will take the ball for UNC in the second game. First pitch is scheduled for noon central time.
