Cougars top Northridge 8-7

A double play sealed a come-from-behind victory for Niwot over Northridge April 19, with the Cougars posting a hard-fought 8-7 win.

Niwot took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with a four-run rally to put the Cougars on top by a run. Northridge got the tying run to second base with no outs, but a heads-up play by first baseman Jack Brooker on a bunt retired the runner at third base as Brooker fired to third-baseman Spencer Olson who applied the tag for the first out.

With a runner on first base, Cougar pitcher Jed Kilpatrick induced Northridge's hitter to hit a line drive to leftfield. Sophomore Sergio Pimental caught the ball, then fired to first to double off the Northridge runner, ending the game. Kilpatrick picked up the victory, Niwot's second of the season, with two innings of shutout relief.

Brooker started on the mound, giving up seven runs, only three of which were earned. Sophomore Brock Rothstein had two hits on the day, scoring three times, and reached on an error to start the sixth inning rally. Jaedyn Adler and Pimental followed with base hits, and senior Jackson Ackerman reached on a fielder's choice. Kilpatrick's single drove in Ackerman with the tying run, and Kilpatrick later scored the go-ahead run on an error.

Diego Castro started behind the plate, but had to leave the game due to a problem with a contact lens. Freshman Hayden Shaw took over the catching duties for the final four innings.

After the game, Head Coach Ken Rosales presented the game ball to assistant coach Todd Kidder, who handles third-base coaching duties. After the game, Kidder told the team, "I'm awfully proud of you guys. To me, this was not just another 8 to 7 win. This was a huge game. You guys were fighting, you played hard. We've let a couple slip away. I'm proud of you guys for not letting this one get away."