Vancouver, BC -
Tyson Popoff had three hits and five runs batted in to lead the UBC Thunderbirds baseball team to a 14-2 trouncing of the Concordia Cavaliers Friday afternoon at Thunderbird Park. It was the first of four games this weekend between these two teams.
Down 1-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning, the 'Birds exploded for seven runs on six hits.
Jeremy Kral and Mike Hole got things going for the 'Birds with back to back singles. Tyler Enns drove in Kral to tie the game at 1-1. Turner Spears followed up with a RBI double down the first base line to give UBC a 2-1 lead. After James Stewart was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Tyson Popoff cleared them with a three run double to put the 'Birds in front 5-1. They weren't done there. Greg Densem followed up with a RBI double of his own to extend the lead to 6-1.
That would spell the end of the day for Cavaliers starting pitcher Eddie Crowe who gave up all six runs on six hits. He was replaced by Ryan Garrett. UBC would score one more run in the inning on a wild pitch to lead 7-1 through two innings of play.
In full control from that point on, UBC would add another six runs in the seventh inning. Popoff started things off with a single up the middle which cashed in two runners. After a wild pitch and a throwing error scored two more runs, Kral crushed a pitch to the fence in right centre field driving in two more runs to make it a 14-2 game.
Popoff finished the afternoon 3-4, with a double, two runs, and five runs batted in.
Kral, Andrew Firth, Tyler Enns, and Turner Spears all had multi-hit games.
Bryan Pawlina picked up the win going 3.2 innings, allowing no runs on three hits, while striking out five. Matt Thornton started the game, but left with an injury after 3.1 innings of work. He struckout three, while giving up three hits and two runs, both were unearned.
Both teams are now 3-2 in NAIA West regular season play.
UBC and Concordia are back in action Saturday afternoon playing a doubleheader, beginning at 12:00 pm at Thunderbird Park.
