VANCOUVER -
Sammie Starr's three-run home run capped off a monster eighth inning comeback for the UBC Thunderbirds in game one of Saturday's doubleheader against the Concordia Cavaliers. The T-Birds took game one 9-7 and won the seven-inning nightcap 6-2.
The T-Birds were down 7-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth in game one, but Starr wasted no time getting the rally started. He led off the inning with a single, and after the next two hitters flied out, the T-Birds embarked on a two-out rally for the ages. After three singles and a walk,
Keaton Briscoe doubled to left field, scoring to runs to pull the home side to within one. Then Starr came to the plate again, and mashed a three-run bomb over the left field fence to complete the comeback and put UBC on top by two.
The first two Cavaliers to bat in the ninth reached base, but
Taylor King settled down on the mound after that, striking out Tommy Whalen and Sean Myrom, both of whom had homered earlier in the game, before inducing a Tim Reavis groundout to end it.
"Taylor got rushed warming up because we didn't see the comeback coming that quickly," said UBC head coach
Terry McKaig. "Sammie hits the home run and all of a sudden we are in the lead and we were all yelling and hollering but Taylor hadn't even got to the bullpen yet so he didn't get his full warm-up. That might have been the reason for the leadoff walk and then the hit but after that he got in his groove and got a couple big strikeouts."
UBC's only offence outside the eighth inning came in the form of a
Blake Carruthers solo home run in the second.
"There is something to be said for coming back like that but I was pretty disappointed in those first seven innings," said McKaig. "They came out and took it to us, and it was another home game where we didn't look prepared at the start. But at the end of the day, you don't care when you win them, as long as you win."
UBC starter
Eric Brown got a no-decision after seven innings of four-hit ball. He surrendered five runs, but just one earned run, and struck out nine.
Andrew Ledger worked the eighth inning to get the win for UBC.
Steven Taft gave up six runs on 12 hits through 7.2 innings of work for the Cavs. Brett Ferguson took the loss after allowing the final three runs in the eighth inning.
The 'Birds didn't wait as long in game two to get their big inning on the board. After the teams exchanged single runs in the first inning, UBC took the lead for good with a four-spot in the third.
Nic Lendvoy started the scoring with an RBI triple, and Briscoe added a two-RBI triple later in the frame. Starr also had a triple in game two.
Sheldon McDonald got the win for UBC, giving up two runs on seven hits over six innings. Andrew Reid took the loss after surrendering all six UBC runs over six innings.
Briscoe was 6-for-8 at the plate with four RBIs on the day.
Alex White chipped in four hits and two RBIs.
The sixth-ranked T-Birds move to 28-6 on the year, while the Cavs fall to 7-19. They will meet again on Sunday for another doubleheader at Thunderbird Park, with the first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.
