BOXSCORE: Game One
BOXSCORE: Game Two

GREELEY, Colo. - Six school records, one of the biggest comebacks in school history and timely hitting led Northern Colorado baseball to a doubleheader sweep over Texas-Pan American on Monday afternoon. In game one, the Bears rallied from a 13-run deficit for a 28-22 victory while the team dominated game two, winning 19-6. NC improves to 15-33 on the season and guarantees its second straight winning season at home, while the Broncs fall to 11-39 on the year.

Senior Erik Hegstad led the Bears offensively, going 6-for-9 in the two games with one home run and six RBI, while freshman Adrian Schenk went 6-for-10 with a pair of doubles and six RBI. Freshman Jarod Berggren, who came in late in game one, went 6-for-8 on the afternoon with two doubles and two stolen bases.

"We are a very good offensive team, as witnessed today," said Head Coach Kevin Smallcomb. "We just can't always stop teams defensively, but were able to outscore them in the first game by continuing to battle and by remaining patient at the plate. In the second game, we pounded the ball throughout."

GAME ONE
The Bears rallied from a 13-run (21-8) deficit after six-and-a-half innings, scoring 20 in the seventh and eighth to pull out a 28-22 victory, breaking the record for combined runs in a game for the second time in three contests.

Northern Colorado scored its 28 runs on just 15 hits and committed five errors in the game, while Texas-Pan American scored 22 runs on 27 hits and had two errors of their own.

Northern Colorado also set the record for most times walked (20), breaking the old record of 17 from a contest against Nebraska-Kearney on April 18, 1993 and for combined RBI in a game with 44, breaking the record of 40 from Sunday against Utah Valley.

Senior Kevin Sandberg went just 1-for-6 in the game, but his hit gave him the school career record for hits with 227. He tallied four hits in the second game, bringing his career tally to 231 base knocks.

Junior catcher Seth Budde set the school record for walks in a game with six, going 0-for-1 at the plate, but scoring four runs. His six walks also ties the NCAA Division I record for base on balls in a game and it happened for the first time since 1999.

"Seth Budde was extremely patient at the plate in game one," said Smallcomb. "Once he was aboard, we were able to move him over."

Schenk went 4-for-6 with four RBI and 3 runs scored, while Hegstad went 3-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored.

Freshman Joe Willman was the first of five pitchers used for Northern Colorado. He threw three innings, allowing 10 runs (five earned) on 11 hits, walking two and striking out three. Freshman Ty Jacobs pitched the next 2.1 frames, allowing five runs on eight hits and struck out one. Junior Eric Skufca lasted 0.2 innings, allowing four runs on two hits and walking one, while junior Hunter Nolen threw 1.2 frames, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and walked one. Junior Forbes Scott (2-1) got the win for the Bears, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing no runs on two hits with one walk.

UTPA used seven pitchers with each walking at least one batter. Starter A.J. Franco pitched 5.1 frames, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on six hits with seven walks and four strikeouts. The pitcher of record was Doug Roth (0-5), throwing the final 0.2 innings and giving up six runs on three hits, walking three and striking out one.

Willman actually struck out the side in the first inning, but a wild pitch allowed Perez to advance to first base. On the first pitch of the bottom half of the inning, junior Tyler Borzileri was hit in the leg. Schenk walked and was erased on a fielder's choice by senior Andy Mees, however a throwing error allowed Borzileri to score and put the Bears on the board first.

The Broncs scored four in the second, two in the third and two in the fourth to extend their lead to 8-1 and were aided in the process by an uncharacteristic four errors by the Bears defense.

Hegstad tallied his first steal of the season in the bottom of the fourth after leading off the inning with a single to left field. Budde and sophomore T.J. Berge both walked and senior Phil Santucci hit a sacrifice fly to right for the team's second run of the game. With two outs, Borzileri cleared the left field wall for a three-run shot, his fourth of the year to cut the lead in half, 10-5.

UTPA scored three more in the top of the fifth to stretch the lead back to eight, 13-5 and added two in the sixth to take the lead to 10 runs at 15-5.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bears took advantage of free passes, scoring three runs on one hit with one hit batsman and four walks to make the score 15-8.

UTPA again answered, scoring six runs on four hits with two hit batsman in the seventh inning for a 21-8 score.

The Bears exploded for nine runs in the seventh and 11 in the eighth, holding UTPA to just one run for the 28-22 victory.

All nine runs in the seventh frame were scored with two outs and four of the 11 games in the eighth were by way of a grand slam by freshman Tony Crudo, his first of the year. He becomes the 17^th different Bear to hit a home run this season.

GAME TWO
The Bears broke the school record for doubles in a game with 10 as Berggren, Schenk, Mees and Sandberg each had two, while Budde and Crudo also hit one. The Bears had eight in the first three innings and broke the record with Crudo's double in the bottom of the fifth.

Berggren and Sandberg led the Bears going 4-for-5 at the plate and Sandberg had five RBI and four runs scored. Hegstad and Mees also each had three hits.

The Bears scored 19 runs on 22 hits and tallied one error, while the Broncs managed six runs on 11 hits with one error.

Freshman Casey Coy (1-0) got the victory on the mound in his first career start. He pitched five innings, allowing six runs on 11 hits, walking three and fanning one. Freshman Cameron Tallman threw the final two frames, striking out one and not allowing any hits.

Texas-Pan American scored one run to start the game, but the Bears offense stayed potent, tallying five in the first frame. Berggren, Schenk, Mees and Sandberg all doubled, then Hegstad broke the streak with a single and Budde doubled before an out was recorded.

In the second inning, Berggren singled to start things off, Mees walked with one out and then Sandberg blasted his 17^th home run of the year over the left field wall for an 8-1 lead.

The Bears continued their offense in the third frame plating six for the 14-1 lead. Berge started things with a home run, his fourth of the year. With one out, Hilker and Berggren singled, followed by three straight doubles from Schenk, Mees and Sandberg and back-to-back singles by Hegstad and Budde for the half-dozen runs.

Neither team scored in the fourth inning, while both teams put up identical fives in the fifth frame. Mees started the NC half with a home run, then Sandberg and Hegstad singled, Budde drew another walk and two runs scored on a Crudo line shot down the left field line. Two more scored on a single through the left side by Hilker to secure the Bears victory at 19-6.

The two wins give the Bears a 9-5 record at home with one game remaining against Texas-Pan American on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.