HOUSTON – On a day that featured outstanding starting pitching on both sides, Houston Baptist fell to Northern Colorado in extra innings the first game, 4-1, before coming back to take game two, 4-3, in a Great West Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Husky Field.

In the second game, HBU freshman third baseman Tanner Kalina broke a 1-1 tie with a bases-loaded, two-run single in the seventh and senior first baseman Beau Warren followed with an RBI single to right as the Huskies held on for a one-run victory.

Northern Colorado scored two in the top of the eighth inning as Adam Hilker was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Bret Fanning walked and T.J. Berge singled in a run to cut HBU's lead to 4-2. Ben Packard walked to load the bases, but Casey Coy's grounded to third and Kalina threw home for the force out. Jarod Berggren beat out a double-play ball to drive in a run and make it a one-run game, but Tony Crudo flied out to center end the threat.

The Bears (7-25, 4-3 GWC) struck first in the top of the fourth as Coy walked and Crudo singled to center. Lambert grounded to second, but the ball skipped past junior David Pfuntner and Coy crossed the plate for the unearned run. The Huskies answered right back as junior shortstop Collin Hetzler singled to right-center to lead off the bottom of the inning and junior designated hitter Robbie Buller doubled down the right-field line. Junior rightfielder Kolby Arnst followed with a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game.

Pfuntner led HBU by going 2-for-5 with a run. Kalina drove in two runs, while Arnst and Warren had the other RBIs for the Huskies.

Crudo went 2-for-4 for Northern Colorado, while Berge and Berggren drove in runs.

Senior righthander Chase Hernandez (2-3) earned the victory for the Huskies, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and striking out five in seven innings. Freshman righthander Kobie Hajdik picked up his second save, by allowing only a walk over the final two innings and entering the eighth with a three-run lead, two runners on and no outs. Josh Boyer did not factor into the decision despite allowing only one run on three hits in six innings, while Josh Tinnon took the loss, giving up three runs on one hit and walking two in 2/3 inning.

In the first game, which was scheduled for seven innings, the two teams traded unearned runs and needed an extra frame to decide the battle.

Northern Colorado got on the board in the third when Crudo bunted for a base hit, Harrison Lambert got down a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error allowed him to reach base. Marcus Valenzuela sacrificed the runners over with a bunt, and Hilker grounded out to second to give the Bears the lead.

In the fifth, junior centerfielder J.P. Seipel smacked a two-out single through the right side and stole second. Pfuntner hit a chopper to third for an infield single, but the throw to first went into rightfield and Seipel came home with the tying run.

In the eighth, Lambert led off with a single to left, Valenzuela dropped down another sacrifice bunt and Hilker walked to chase HBU senior lefthander Jamie Storey from the game. Sophomore reliever Jake Gonzalez then walked Fanning on four pitches to load the bases, and Berge followed with a two-run single to right and Fanning scored on an error on a throw to third.

Arnst and Seipel each went 2-for-3 for the Huskies in a game where neither team recorded an extra-base hit.

Berge drove in two for the Bears and four different players scored their runs.

Joe Sawicki (2-6) earned the complete-game victory for Northern Colorado, allowing one unearned run on five hits and striking out six in eight innings, while Storey (0-5) took the tough-luck loss, giving up three runs, two earned on four hits and striking out seven in 7.1 innings.