SANTA BARBARA, CA - Despite jumping out to an early lead, the no. 10 ranked UBC Thunderbirds couldn't hold off Westmont College Thursday afternoon, dropping an 8-5 decision. The loss dropped UBC (3-4) below .500 on their pre-season road trip through California.
It was a big first inning for the visiting 'Birds who put up four runs on three hits highlighted by a two-out double from catcher
Greg Densem that plated a pair.
After making it 5-1 in the top of the second, UBC saw Westmont put a pair on the board to pull within two runs. The scoring slowed just long enough before the hosts put up five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a lead they would not relinquish.
"We got off to a good start today but we couldn't pitch well enough to keep it. It's obviously a disappointing result but we weren't able to get anything going once they came back and took the lead," said UBC head coach
Terry McKaig.
Densem and
Keaton Briscoe paced UBC with a pair of hits each and combined for three of the T-Birds five RBI.
David Otterman got the start for the 'Birds but lasted only 1.2 innings giving up three hits, three runs, and three walks. Dan Britton-Foster took the loss, allowing six hits and five runs (four earned) over 4.1 innings of work in relief.
Tavis Bruce also saw the mound, giving up one hit over two innings.
UBC continues their busy schedule with a game against Cal Baptist on Friday at 1:00 p.m. It will be the T-Birds fourth game in as many days and they wrap up their trip to California with another game against CBU on Saturday.
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