Need to Know

The UBC Thunderbirds baseball team (13-5) opens NAIA West Grouping play this weekend in Redding, Calif., against the winless Simpson (Calif.) Red Hawks (0-10). The teams will play a pair of doubleheaders at historic Tiger Field, beginning on Saturday at 12 noon PT. Sunday's first contest will take place at 11 a.m. PT. The first three games will count in the NAIA West standings.
 

Last Week

UBC went 4-1 over the past week, which included wins over NAIA No. 10-ranked The Master's (Calif.) and a pair of NCAA Division 2 squads at the Lancaster JetHawks Collegiate Baseball Classic. In Lancaster, Calif., the T-Birds scored 12-4 (February 18) and 5-4 (February 20) victories over California State Los Angeles. UBC split its two games against California State San Bernardino, losing the tournament opener 13-4 on February 17 before rebounding to an 8-2 triumph two days later.
 

By The Numbers

11 – The T-Birds have won the last 11 meetings between the two teams. The last UBC loss to Simpson came on March 30, 2013 in Redding, Calif.
 
4 – Starting pitchers Alex Webb (Surrey, B.C.) and Connor Noble (Vancouver) both have four wins, tied for the most in the NAIA so far this season.
 

The Matchup

It is still early in the season but UBC has put up some impressive pitching statistics. The team ranks 21st in the NAIA in earned run average (2.53) and 23rd in opponents' batting average (.218). Meanwhile, Simpson has struggled offensively, hitting .174 as a team, but the Red Hawks recorded 14 hits in two losses to Bethesda (Calif.).

The Blue and Gold have a team batting average of .278 coming into this weekend's series, with rookie Lucas Soper (Vancouver) hitting .485. Senior Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) was named the NAIA West Grouping Baseball Player of the Week after getting 10 hits over five games to improve his season average to .397.
 
Simpson and UBC have played one common opponent in 2016. The Red Hawks lost four games to NAIA No. 10 The Master's (Calif.) to start the year, while the Thunderbirds beat the Mustangs last Monday in Santa Clarita, Calif.