Kearney, Neb. – Junior Chad Leedholm pitched eight strong innings and the Colorado Christian baseball team scored five unearned runs to beat Nebraska-Kearney, 8-4, Saturday afternoon at Memorial Field.

With the win, the Cougars (7-34, 3-28 RMAC) salvage the last game of the series with the Lopers (26-12, 22-8 RMAC).

A 6-3 right hander, Leedholm earned his first win of the year by scatting nine hits and walking one. Retiring 10 Lopers in a row at one point, he also shut out UNK in the first three innings.

Christian jumped out to a 3-0 lead by scoring an unearned run in the first and tallying two in the third thanks to two hits, a walk and sac fly. UNK cut the deficit to one after scoring single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

However, CCU came back to cross home plate once in the sixth and seventh innings and then tallied three unearned runs in the eighth to blow the game open. For the day, UNK had four errors.

Designated hitter JL Buchanan and first baseman Corey Gaudet, batting third and fourth in the order, each went 2 for 4 with two RBI's and six other Cougar starters had one hit.

For UNK, sophomore DH Chandler Klute (Kearney) went 2 for 4 with two RBI's and senior Andrew Haake (Beatrice), making his first career start in left field, went 2 for 4 with a run scored. He ended the weekend 8 for 11 (.727) with seven walks, six runs and four RBI's.

On the mound, senior Jake Kresse (Bennington) struck out three and didn't allow an earned run in 2.2 innings. Throwing in all four games, he went 2-0 with a save and struck out six in 5.2 innings.

UNK plays UNO Wednesday night at Werner Park in Papillion and then hosts New Mexico Highlands next weekend.