Northern Colorado baseball lost to Omaha 6-3 on May 2 at Jackson Field, with a pivotal eighth inning making the difference in the game.
The outcome was determined when Omaha scored three runs in the top of the eighth, pulling away from Northern Colorado after both teams kept it close through seven innings. The Bears had led early and stayed within one run until that decisive frame.
Northern Colorado opened scoring in the second inning. Mason Griffin drew a walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Wilson Kieffer before Ethan Mooser delivered an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. After Omaha tied it up in the fourth, Mooser again contributed offensively with a solo home run to right field in the fifth, leveling the score at 2-2.
Omaha moved ahead again with an RBI double in the seventh. In response, Northern Colorado narrowed their deficit when Brandon Sanchez reached base on an error and later scored on Jaden Stone’s RBI single during the bottom of the eighth. However, that would be as close as they would get as they failed to mount further offense in their final opportunity.
Mooser finished his day going three-for-three at bat with two RBIs and a home run. Sanchez added two hits for Northern Colorado while Jake Bullard also recorded a hit.
Looking ahead, Northern Colorado will play Omaha again Sunday at Jackson Field for the deciding game of their series, with first pitch scheduled for noon Mountain Daylight Time.
