The Northern Colorado softball team completed its sweep of the University of Montana over the weekend with an 11-7 victory Sunday in Missoula, Montana.
UNC won both games of a doubleheader Saturday, and improved its record to 4-2 in the Big Sky Conference and 19-19 overall. The Bears are tied with Portland for third in the conference standings.
Against Montana, UNC never trailed in the series after the fifth inning of Game 1.
On Sunday, UNC scored all of its runs in the first four innings to build an 11-3 lead. The Grizzlies (0-6 Big Sky, 14-23 overall) scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to prevent losing on the run rule.
If a team is leading by eight or more runs after five or more equal innings, the home plate umpire may declare the run rule, according to NCAA rules.
Nya Chacon homered in all three games of the series with her solo shot in the third inning Sunday. Chacon had two hits, two RBI and two runs.
Chacon, a senior outfielder from Loveland, hit .545 in the three-game series. She had six hits, with the three home runs, 10 RBI and four runs scored. Chacon’s seven RBI in Game 2 of the series tied a Big Sky Conference single-record. Chacon was named Big Sky player of the week Monday.
Seven other UNC players had at least one hit led by Lauren Strathearn and Ella Gonzales with three each. Gonzales had three RBI, and Strathearn had two. Alyssa Wenzel doubled and stole two bases.
Bears senior pitcher Erin Cavinesss came in for a relief appearance in the third and won her 11th game of the season. Caviness, who is from Thornton and Holy Family High School in Broomfield, allowed four runs on six hits with three strikeouts in four innings.
Starter Kate Rehberg allowed three runs on two hits with one earned run in two innings. Rehberg left the game with UNC leading 4-3.
UNC hosts league-leading Weber State for three games Friday and Saturday at Gloria Rodriguez Field in Greeley.
