VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds softball team dropped two close games on day one of the Northwest Cup in Clackamas, Oregon.
“Today we had two excellent pitching performances but the bats came out a little flat in both games,” said UBC head coach Phil Thom. “Hopefully tomorrow brings better results against two tough teams Simpson and Corban.”
UBC lost 5-3 to the Concordia (Ore.) Cavaliers after giving up four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
In the top of the first,
Carlyn Shimizu, who ended the game 2-for-4 from the plate, hit a ground-rule double to left field to score
Brittany Meyer, who lead the game off with a walk.
Cavalier Laura Luther tied the game in the second with a home run to centre field. It was one of just two Concordia hits in the first five innings.
The T-Birds went back ahead in the top of the third when
Jenna Neufeld scored on a throwing error.
Tayla Westgard made it 3-1 when she drove in
Quinn Dhaliwal, who was pinch-running for
Cassandra Dypchey, with a double to left centre field.
Leigh Della Siega pitched a complete game, allowing six hits while striking out seven.
In game two, UBC dropped a 2-1 decision to the College of Idaho Coyotes, who scored both runs in the top of the fifth inning with two out.
In the bottom half of the inning, Neufeld led off with a single. Two Coyotes' errors later, the T-Birds had the bases loaded but they only managed a run when Dypchey drove in Neufeld.
Nicole Day threw another complete game for UBC, this time giving up five hits while striking out nine.
UBC will face Simpson and Corban on Saturday before rounding out the Northwest Cup with another two games on Sunday.
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