Northern Colorado will host the Colorado Classic DI Tournament this weekend, starting at Gloria Rodriguez Field in Greeley before moving to Ram Field in Fort Collins. The Bears begin tournament play on Friday, February 27, with a doubleheader against Creighton at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. MST.
On Saturday, February 28, the team will play Creighton again at 10:30 a.m. MST and face Colorado State at 1 p.m. MST at Ram Field. The event concludes Sunday, March 1, with a rematch against Colorado State scheduled for 1:30 p.m. MST.
Northern Colorado enters the tournament with a record of 6-9 overall and has not yet played a conference game this season. In the Big Sky Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the Bears were selected fourth. Four players—Amailee Morales (first base), Krista Francia (shortstop), Katie Walling (third base), and Anna Wilming (pitcher)—were recognized as Preseason All-Conference selections.
The team is currently hitting .275 through its first 15 games, accumulating 112 hits, 61 runs, and hitting for power with 16 home runs and 19 doubles. Their home run production places them among the leading offensive teams in the Big Sky Conference.
Amailee Morales leads Northern Colorado’s offense with a .460 batting average (23-for-50), seven doubles, and one home run. She was named Big Sky Player of the Week following her performance at the Roadrunner Classic. KK Christie holds a .433 average with six doubles and three home runs while slugging .933; Hayden Nelson has contributed four home runs; Ella Gonzales has driven in ten runs and added three homers.
Pitcher Anna Wilming leads Northern Colorado’s staff with 36 innings pitched and holds a record of three wins and two losses. Ellyse Hydock has appeared nine times out of the bullpen for two wins and two saves; Aiyana Cordero maintains an earned run average of 2.74 in relief appearances.
Morales ranks first all-time in program history for doubles (49), home runs (29), RBIs (125), and walks (92). She is also eighth in hits (163), third in total bases (303), sixth in putouts (674) within UNC history, fifth all-time in Big Sky Conference history for doubles, tied for tenth in home runs, and sixth in walks.
Ella Gonzales is eleventh all-time at UNC for RBIs (81), walks (53), home runs (14), as well as seventh for being hit by pitch.
Creighton comes into the tournament with a record of five wins and ten losses while batting .246 as a team over their first fifteen games. Zoey Greenwood leads Creighton hitters at .349; Tara Vandewater (.300) has driven in nine RBIs; Kaelan Schultz (.310) and Avery Barnard (.289) contribute depth to their lineup. Pitchers Audrey Gilman (4.27 ERA) and Brooklyn Patchen have combined for most innings pitched but have allowed opponents to hit .295 against them.
Colorado State also holds a record of five wins and ten losses entering tournament play while batting .258 as a team over fifteen games played so far this season. Lauren Stucky leads CSU hitters at .417; Kyra Smith follows at .327 with eleven RBIs; Jailey Wilson adds two homers to her totals so far this year.
Colorado State’s pitching staff posts an overall ERA of 3.49 led by Reagan Wick’s mark of just over two earned runs per game across forty-four innings pitched.
Following this weekend’s tournament action, Northern Colorado will remain home next week to host another round-robin event—the Colorado Classic Tournament—at Gloria Rodriguez Field from March 5 through March 8 featuring matchups against Kansas City, South Dakota, Drake University, South Dakota State University among others.
The Rally Starters Club continues to support UNC Softball by providing resources that improve training facilities, technology use during competition travel opportunities which enhance both athletic performance student-athlete experience off field activities according to university officials.
For more updates about Northern Colorado Softball visit UNCBears.com or follow @UNC_BearsSB on X/Instagram or /UNCBearsSB on Facebook.
