Need to Know
It would be fair to say the UBC Thunderbirds softball team (9-22, 9-15 CCC) is fighting for their playoff lives this weekend as they host the top two teams in the Cascadia Collegiate Conference, Southern Oregon (30-14, 16-8 CCC) and Oregon Tech (25-16, 18-6 CCC). The 'Birds will play back to back doubleheaders against the 'Beaver State' foes Friday, April 22
nd and Saturday, April 23
rd at Softball City in Surrey.
UBC is looking for some payback in their home park after their late March trip to Oregon which saw them drop four games over a weekend. The young TBirds squad is a different team in the friendly confines of Surrey, where they've managed to play .500 ball over the course of the season.
Last Week
After a hot start to the weekend, which saw UBC put 11 runners across in an 11-9 triumph over Eastern Oregon, the TBird's lumber cooled off in their following three games. They dropped the second game to Eastern Oregon and then had two hard fought defeats to the College of Idaho.
By the Numbers
.398 / .531 /.475 – the batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage of UBC slugger
Shayla Kaplen (Richmond, B.C.). Kaplen has been the model of consistency all season and is the driving force in the 'Blue and Gold' attack.
7/9 – the amount of total wins attributed to TBird starting pitcher
Lindsey Ogilvie (Surrey, B.C.) who also bats at a .330 clip. The 'Birds will need their star players to play like it if they want to steal some wins from the conference powerhouses.
The Matchup
No matter how you slice it, UBC will have to be at their absolute best to get results this weekend. Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon are 1-2 in the Cascadia Collegiate softball standings. Oregon Tech has won three of four, while Southern Oregon will be hunting for W's after losing a pair of nail biters to Corban last weekend. UBC is looking stop a three game losing streak.
Coach's Take
"We are hoping at home where we get support it will help the team perform," says head coach
Gord Collings. "Being in front of a home crowd and the fact that our seniors will be honoured on 'Senior Day' should be good for us. We will be challenged by two very good teams so our pitching and defence need to be very good."
