The Northern Colorado softball team figured out how to beat one Big Sky Conference opponent Friday when it counted.
The two-time defending Big Sky Conference Tournament champion Bears couldn’t solve Idaho State this year, losing to the top-seeded Bengals 10-3 late Friday evening — one game short of the tournament final at Gloria Rodriguez Field in Greeley.
Idaho State’s win was its fifth of the season against UNC, including in two games this week at the double-elimination conference tournament. The Bengals also swept the three games during the regular season.
Idaho State (36-16) advances to play No. 3 Weber State at noon Saturday for the conference tournament title and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
UNC (19-30) with the loss saw the end of its string of Big Sky titles over the last two years. The Bears not only won the 2023 and 2024 conference tournament titles in coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm’s first two years with the program, UNC last year captured its first regular-season Big Sky championship.
“I think we played the best game we could against them,” Pendleton-Helm said of Idaho State, adding her team avoided being run-ruled with a deficit of eight or more runs after five equal innings.
UNC gave itself a shot at the tournament final by beating Sacramento State earlier in the day Friday for the first time this season. The Hornets also swept UNC during the regular season, but the Bears’ bats were big for the second straight day in an 8-5 win.
University of Northern Colorado softball players celebrate after beating Sacramento State 8-5 in a Big Sky Conference Tournament game Friday, May 9, 2025 at Gloria Rodriguez Field in Greeley. The Bears avoided elimination with the win, and advanced to meet Idaho State for a spot in the championship game. Idaho State ended UNC’s season with a 10-3 win. (Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)UNC had 13 hits against the Hornets with seven players coming up with at least one hit and five extra-base hits. Starting pitcher Anna Wilming went the distance, giving up five runs on nine hits with a strikeout and two walks.
“We just fought,” Pendleton-Helm said. “It was such a good, good game. We played really well. Great defense, and Anna pitched well.”
Against Idaho State, relief pitcher Grace Algrim held the Bengals scoreless in three innings on two hits with five strikeouts and a walk. A junior from Illinois, Algrim is in her third season at UNC.
In the top of the seventh, Idaho State had a chance to expand its lead. The Bengals had runners on second and third with no outs after an error, a base hit and a stolen base.
Algrim recorded strikeouts to the next three batters, two swinging and one looking, to keep ISU from scoring more runs.
“It was nice to see Grace come in and kind of shut down that last inning when you think of the future,” Pendleton-Helm said. “We just kept fighting and it’s good to go out that way.”
Algrim came into the game in the fourth inning after Idaho State roughed up both starter Anna Wilming and first relief pitcher Isabelle DiNapoli.
The Bengals scored their 10 runs on seven hits in four-plus innings off Wilming and DiNapoli. Wilming left in the top of the second trailing 5-3 with one out. Algrim relieved DiNapoli in the top of the fifth with no one, the bases loaded and Idaho State leading 8-3.
Idaho State chased Wilming after 1 ⅓ innings, while the Bears got to Bengals lefty starter and Big Sky pitcher of the year Kasey Aguinaga after one inning. ISU took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but UNC tied the game in the bottom of the inning with three runs on four hits.
Krista Francia had a run-scoring single and Sabrina Javorsky brought in Francia with her second home run in two days.
Javorsky was 2 for 2 with the 2-run home run, wrapping up a hot hitting streak over the final three games of the tournament. A senior catcher, Javorsky was 3 for 3 with a home run and five RBI in Thursday’s 19-9 elimination game win over Montana.
She had two hits with a double and scored a run in another elimination-game victory against No. 2 Sacramento State earlier in the day Friday.
Outfielder Nya Chacon, a graduate student from Loveland, joined Javorsky with another stellar day at the plate Friday.
University of Northern Colorado’s Nya Chacon celebrates after hitting a double while playing Sacramento State at Gloria Rodriguez Field on Friday. The Bears went on to win 8-5 to advance. (Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Chacon had three hits against Montana with two of UNC’s five home runs and six RBI. Chacon had two of UNC’s seven hits against Sacramento State. She was 2 for 3 with a double and three RBI in the win over Sacramento State.
ISU freshman Megan Meracle came in for Aguinaga and shut out UNC the rest of the game. She allowed only three hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
UNC’s work to one game within the tournament title game was a significant accomplishment because the Bears had more holes in the lineup this year than in the two previous seasons.
Pendleton-Helm said the team didn’t have pitching depth this spring. DiNapoli was injured earlier in the year, and freshman Grace Sackett from Erie didn’t throw at all because of an injury. Freshman infielder Aiyana Cordero threw innings to help out.
University of Northern Colorado junior Krista Francia runs down the Sacramento State runner for the out while playing at Gloria Rodriguez Field in Greeley on Friday. (Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)“We had the defense and the hitting,” Pendleton-Helm said. “I think what carried us one game away from the final is we were on an upward trajectory coming in (to the tournament). We were playing better. I think the hearts of the seniors carried us.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Idaho State softball ends Northern Colorado’s season one game short of Big Sky Conference championship )
Also on site :