EUGENE, Ore. – The UBC softball team managed the split on Saturday against Northwest Christian dropping the opener 4-3 before rebounding in the nightcap 8-4.  
 
The TBirds couldn't prevent the longball in game one, giving up a pair of dingers, which accounted for all four runs. Centrefielder Shayla Kaplen (Richmond, B.C.) put up a monster stat line in the loss, hitting 3-for-4 with three doubles, a run and two RBIs.
 
UBC took the lead in the top of the first on Shaelyn Ogilvie's (Surrey, B.C.) run scoring single, but the Beacons came back to tie the game in the second inning on a solo shot from Kiara Vasquez.
 
NCU claimed a 4-1 advantage in the fourth inning when Parker Fritter crushed a three-run shot to centerfield.
 
UBC was able to make it close in the fourth inning when Kaplen's double to left scored Paige Harbord (Delta, B.C.) and Hillary Strelau (Richmond, B.C.), but NCU was able to hold on for the victory.
 
Katie Walker got the win for the Beacons while Lindsay Ogilvie (Surrey, B.C) (6-10) scattered five NCU hits in the loss, striking out two batters. No NCU hitter had more than one hit.
 
UBC drew first blood in the second contest, when Olivia Priestlay (Delta, B.C.) belted a two-run homer to right scoring Montana Turnovitski (Langley, B.C.). NCU responded with three runs in the bottom half to take a 3-2 lead.
 
The lead flipped again in the third inning when Strelau scored on a single by Kaplen and Harbord came across the dish on a sacrifice fly by Shaelyn Ogilvie to give UBC back the lead, 4-3.
 
In the bottom of the fourth the Beacons tied the game on squeeze bunt RBI from Paige Griffith. 
 
The Thunderbirds quickly got the run back, scoring what would be the game-winner in the fifth inning as Kaplen once again scored on an RBI single by Shaelyn Ogilvie. UBC would tack on three more runs in the sixth.
 
Zoe Gillis (Delta, B.C.) (1-5) went the distance to collect her first win of the season for UBC, allowing four earned over seven and striking out four Beacon hitters. Janieve Boyles (3-9) took the loss for NCU, allowing four earned runs over five innings with six hits and two strikeouts.
 
The TBirds (10-19, 8-12 CCC) got a big game from Strelau, who hit 3-for-4.
 
UBC will hit the road next weekend with back-to-back doubleheaders on April15-16. On Friday they will take on Eastern Oregon before travelling to play at College of Idaho on Saturday.