OREM, Utah – Northern Colorado avoided a series sweep with an 8-6 win over Utah Valley University in 12 innings on Sunday afternoon at Brent Brown Ballpark.
 
Craig Brinkerhoff homered for the second straight day, but the Bears took advantage of a two-out error in the 12th to score the go-ahead runs in ending UVU's three-game winning streak.
 
The Wolverines (18-15, 5-4) had chances to win the game in both the ninth and 11th inning but stranded runners in scoring position each time and left
 
"We deserved to lose that game. We had so many opportunities and couldn't get it done," said UVU head coach Eric Madsen. "It's tough to sweep anybody and Northern Colorado played hard all weekend so all-in-all this is a good series win."
 
Brinkerhoff, who was Saturday night's hero with his walk-off, three-run home run, hit a line shot over the wall in left in his first at-bat on Sunday. The home run, his fourth of the year, also scored Mark Krueger.
 
Jake Atkinson followed with a double off the wall in left and later scored when Jordan Schlehuber singled him home to give the Wolverines a 3-0 lead in the second.
 
Like they did on Saturday, Northern Colorado (6-22, 1-5) came back, scoring three times in the fifth to tie the game. Nick Tanner had a two-run single and Jacob Ek also drove in a run on a bunt single.
 
The Bears took the lead in the sixth when Tyler Yamaguchi's infield single scored Dean Lawson and gave UNC a 4-3 advantage.
 
Greyson Bogden walked, stole second and then scored the tying run on a base hit to center by Gothberg. Atkinson then put UVU in front, 5-4, on the base hit to right, plating Gothberg.
 
Tied 5-5 in the eighth, the Wolverines scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch but Rob Cashel forced extra innings when he homered to lead off the ninth for the Bears.

Tanner had four hits for Northern Colorado while four different UVU players had two-hit days. Krueger finished 1-for-4 with two runs scored and extended his hit streak to 16 games.
 
The Wolverines travel to New Mexico State next weekend with the three-game league series starting Friday at 6 p.m. in Las Cruces.