UNC leaves for Pocatello, Idaho, this weekend not completely knowing what they’ll see from themselves during the six-team, double-elimination tournament May 4-7 at Idaho State University.
UNC finished with a 9-6 record in the Big Sky season, leaving the Bears in a tie for second with Sacramento State and Montana. UNC earned the second seed for the tournament on a tiebreaker. Host Idaho State is the top seed.
During the month-long Big Sky season, it was not uncommon for the Bears to lose a game by at least six runs only to win the next game. UNC faced the other five Big Sky teams for three-game series from late March through late April. In three of those series, UNC won by at least eight runs following a loss.
“Let’s not call it a pattern and hope that we don’t have that in the Big Sky tournament,” Pendleton-Helm said. “We’ve gotten through that, but yeah, it did kind of happen that way.”
The most dramatic example of the up-and-down UNC team was a series at the University of Montana in early April. In the first game, the Grizzlies beat UNC 10-0 in a game shortened to six innings. It’s known as the run rule, and it happens when the game ends early because a team leads by eight or more runs after five or more complete innings.
Later the same day, UNC won the second game 10-1 in six innings. The run rule in reverse. The Bears clinched the series with a 14-10 win in Game 3.
Senior first baseman Amailee Morales said the roller coaster Big Sky season shows the team’s strength and toughness.
“I think those box scores reflect the grit of this team, and we know we’re never truly out of a series and a game. And it shows the resiliency we have,” Morales said. “I think we’re in a great spot.”
Morales and her classmates leave the program with two conference tournament titles and a regular-season Big Sky title — all firsts for UNC in the Division I era. Morales’ career will also be defined by multiple individual honors, including holding program records for home runs, RBI and doubles, Big Sky first-team honors and a co-player of the year award.
“I’m trying to pass on as much knowledge as I can to the younger girls,” she said.
Pendleton-Helm, ever positive, upbeat and optimistic, is in her fourth season as head coach. She has a great deal of confidence in her players, knowing they’ve played well in conference tournaments over the last three seasons. UNC won the conference tournament titles in her first two seasons in 2023 and 2024 to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
UNC swept Weber State in its final series of the regular season last weekend at home. A sweep is good for settling a ball team. Weber State will be the fifth seed at the conference tournament.
“I think the legacy of our team has been we play well in the tournament,” Pendleton-Helm said. “I think they’re coming off more confident (at this point in the season) and knowing what they can do. Knowing that if we’re down some runs, we can come back.”
UNC’s first game at the tournament is 4 p.m. Monday. UNC will meet the winner of an earlier game between No. 3 Sacramento State or No. 6 Portland State.
