Need to Know
The UBC Thunderbirds enter their second week of playoff baseball, but this time it's a win or go home scenario. For the opening round of the NAIA Baseball Championship the 'Blue and Gold' will travel to 'The Peach State' in the southern USA. It's a five-team double knockout format and the TBirds are the fifth seed in the Lawrenceville, Georgia bracket, helmed by the NAIA's number one ranked team and host Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies. UBC and Olivet Nazarene (Illinois) will square off Tuesday morning at 8am PT in the first game of the tournament, with the winner getting to match up against the Grizzlies.  
 
See the full tournament bracket here.
 
Last Week
With a spot in the NAIA Baseball Championship already clinched one can't really fault the TBirds for looking past last week's NAIA Grouping Championship at Thunderbird Park. UBC played one of their best games of the season to open the tournament against College of Idaho. In an eleven inning thriller the 'Birds prevailed over the 'Yotes 4-3. They couldn't hold the momentum however, and ended up losing consecutive games to be eliminated from the competition. UBC starter Alex Webb (Surrey, B.C.) did not pitch in the tournament as he battled a sore back. Having him in top form will make a big difference as head coach Chris Pritchett's TBirds look to upset some of the top teams in NAIA Baseball.


 
By the Numbers
18-4 – is the combined win loss record of Webb and fellow ace right-hander Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) for UBC this season. The two will be healthy and available to Pritchett for the first time in the better part of a month.
"When they're pitching I feel the opponent is kind of irrelevant," says Pritchett. " I feel we have a chance against anybody."
 
3-0 – UBC's record in extra-inning games on the season. This shows the 'Birds can play well when the stakes are high, and thrive under the pressure that can come with playing in a national championship.


 
The Matchup
UBC's first game opponent Olivet Nazarene (Illinois) is a four seed in the bracket but they are far from a pushover. They batted .300 as a team while holding opponents to a pedestrian .250 on their way to a 37-15 record on the season. If Webb and Taylor are dealing for the 'Birds, UBC will be off to the races. UBC is a better slugging line-up, knocking 15 home runs on the season to Olivet Nazarene's 6.  
 
Coaches Take
It's very rare for UBC Baseball not to be heading to a California bracket for this tournament, as they have in the last two years. This could energize the TBirds.
"They're going to be ready to go, they're very excited. This is a new opportunity," says Pritchett. "UBC has always gone to California in the past, so we're doing something new. We're going to play some really good teams, we're going to go down there and show everyone what UBC baseball is all about, have some fun, and see what happens."