GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Northern Colorado jumped out to an early lead and held on to earn a Great West series split with an 11-3 victory over North Dakota on Sunday at Kraft Field. The Bears (19-24, 9-7 GWC) scored two in the first, three in the second and two more in the third, while the Sioux (9-30, 3-13 GWC) could manage only one run in those opening frames.
Right fielder Adrian Schenk had four of the visitor's 15 hits in the contest as he had RBI singles in both the first and second innings as the Bears touched up UND starter Jeff Campbell (Clearwater, Fla.) early in the contest. Second baseman Ryan Yamane added three hits and three RBI as the teams split a four-game set for the second time in three seasons here in Grand Forks.
"That was not a typical performance for Jeff on the mound today," UND head coach Jeff Dodson said. "He left some balls up and they got some runs in early off of him. He settled down later, but got his pitch count up and we had to make a change.
"Plus, we gave away too many runs and really did not swing the bats well and when you have those three things going against you, you'll get an outcome like we did today."
The Sioux defense also made five errors in the contest as those miscues showed up in the third and fifth innings as the two runs Campbell allowed in those frames were both unearned. Those four unearned runs helped Northern Colorado push its lead to 9-1 and that would more than enough support for left-hander Nate Steinmetz, who was in control from the start.
The only three runs UND put up on the board off the Bears' starter were all unearned as well. Junior Kris Kwak (Maple Grove, Minn.) and freshman Sam Alt (Lino Lakes, Minn.) combined for four of the home team's six hits in the contest.
Steinmetz (3-5) worked 6.2 innings, giving up five hits and striking out five to earn his third win of the season, while Campbell felt o 2-6 after going 4.1 innings.
Kwak delivered his second double of the game in the seventh to score a pair of runs and breathe a little life into UND, but a trio of NC relievers held the Sioux to just one hit over the final 2.1 innings of the game.
The Sioux will continue its 15-game homestand next Friday with another GWC series with New York Institute of Technology. First pitch of the series opener is set for 3 p.m.
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