VANCOUVER – An eight-run seventh inning and a complete game by starting pitcher
Danny Britton-Foster helped the UBC Thunderbirds baseball team to a 9-4 win over Concordia on Friday night in Portland, Oregon.
BOX SCORE
"It is a huge character win for us, especially with our struggles over the last few weeks,” said UBC head coach
Terry McKaig. “Everyone's aware of the injury problems we've been having - Blake is still out and
Matt Spillman is now out for the year getting Tommy John surgery - so it was a really big win with guys stepping up for us."
Down by two runs to start the seventh inning, UBC scored eight times as the struggling Thunderbird offence came alive, producing runs for the first time in three games.
Third baseman
Andrew Firth got things started with a single into centerfield. First baseman
Mike Hole followed up with another single. Then a throwing error on a
Brody Hawkins bunt allowed Firth to come home.
After
Jerod Bartnik struck out,
Austin Fruson got an RBI of his own after reaching base on a fielder's choice, allowing Hole to score. After
Ryan Taylor drew a walk,
Sebastian Wong singled up the middle to drive in Hawkins to give UBC the lead 3-2.
Cam Firth came to the plate next and got on base via another fielder's choice. Fruson scored to give Firth a run batted in. Taylor advanced to third on the second error of the inning from Concordia.
With the bases loaded,
Nick Senior walked to bring in another run and put the visiting Thunderbirds up 5-2. Cavaliers starter Mitch Ludtke, who had given up just two hits coming into the inning, was pulled in favour of Gage Aker.
But it made little difference as
Andrew Firth came up to bat for the second time in the inning. His sacrifice fly scored Wong.
Hole singled to left centre for two more runs batted in before Hawkins popped up to end the Thunderbirds' time at the plate.
All eight UBC runs in the inning were unearned.
"Things weren't looking too good for most of the game,” said McKaig. “Their guy (Ludtke) threw outstanding and he has a legit arm, but we had the one big inning with eight runs and then tacked one on late, so offensively it was taking advantage of a couple errors and getting some big hits to go for a big inning."
Wong scored in the ninth for UBC and once again, it was an unearned run as the T-Birds went ahead 9-2 before Concordia added two in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Hole recorded two hits and two runs batted in the game. Wong went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
Fruson, Senior, Cam and
Andrew Firth all recorded an RBI as well.
Britton-Foster improved to 3-3 after pitching the complete game for UBC. He gave up nine hits and three earned runs, while striking out three Cavaliers. He didn't walk any batters.
"Danny going a complete game was huge for us,” said McKaig. “Our bullpen has been struggling a bit lately so to have a complete game start in game one was a real good sign for us. It was much needed, and the boys are real happy as are the coaches."
Overall, Concordia actually outhit UBC 9-6 on Friday, but were undone by three errors.
The two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow at Hilken Field in Portland, with the first game starting at 2 p.m.
All games this weekend feature
live online statistics as well as a
live video feed.
- with files from Jason Dormeyer (Concordia Sports information Director)
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