PORTLAND, Ore. – The UBC Thunderbirds and the Concordia Cavaliers will play a second-and-deciding title game at the NAIA West Grouping Baseball Championships in Portland, Ore., on Monday after the host Cavaliers claimed a 3-0 win on Sunday.
 
UBC could have recorded its second straight NAIA West title with a triumph on Sunday while Concordia started the day with a victory over the College of Idaho to get into the final of the double-knockout tournament.
 
Concordia starting pitcher Austin Hadley was the decisive factor against UBC as he gave up just two hits in 8.2 innings to earn the victory. The senior from Vancouver, Wash., struck out 10 batters as well.
 
"I thought he was outstanding today, mixing all those pitches and keeping balls down," said UBC head coach Terry McKaig of Hadley. "There were few mistakes. Every pitch out of his hand, you have to think about hitting, but some are out of the zone and some are good strikes down in the zone.
 
"These are the days you tip your cap to the other pitcher. I thought Jeremy (Newton) matched him right up until the eighth inning and they finally got their breakthrough. They had some guys step up and get some big hits and we couldn't do that today."


 
In the top of the ninth inning, the Thunderbirds loaded the bases but couldn't get a run across. Before that UBC managed to place only two runners into scoring position.
 
In the home half of the eighth, the heart of the Cavaliers' line up struck for three runs, which ended up being all the offence in the game.
 
Concordia's Trent Calmer singled through the right side before Jordan Spencer drew a walk. Nate Esposito brought them both home with a triple to make it 2-0. Ian Erickson then laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Esposito.
 
In the ninth, left fielder Tyler Enns (Winnipeg) drew a four-pitch walk to lead off. Two batters later, first baseman Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) also walked to put runners on first and second.
 
It looked like UBC would get at least a run when shortstop Kevin Biro (Deep Bay, B.C.) lined a full-count pitch towards third base, but it was caught backhanded by Concordia's Esposito.
 
The hosts changed pitchers after pinch hitter Jerod Bartnik (Surrey B.C.) was announced. The senior then drove a single into left centre to load the bases but Concordia was able to induce a groundout on the ensuing play for the victory.
 
Yari and designated hitter Brendan Rose (Calgary) were the other T-Birds with hits on Sunday, while starting pitcher Jeremy Newton (Toronto) threw a complete game, giving up three runs and striking out five batters.
 
Monday's matchup will be the 11th and final meeting between UBC and Concordia this season, with the Thunderbirds holding a slim 6-4 edge so far.
 
The first pitch is slated for 12 noon at Porter Park in Portland, Ore.