VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds (16-5, 6-2) exploded for eight runs in the final inning to power their way to a 14-6 series opening win against the Oregon Tech Hustlin' Owls Saturday afternoon in Klamath Falls, Ore.
UBC shortstop
Kyle McComb hit a grand slam while
Mitch Robinson,
Mackenzie Parlow, and
Braeden Allemann all had multiple RBI as the T-Birds hit double digit runs for the third time this season, improving to 6-2 in conference play.
The second half of Saturday's double header was suspended in the bottom of the fourth inning due to heavy rain with the Owls up 6-2. The game is scheduled to conclude Sunday morning at 11 a.m. PT.
The series opener started with a defensive battle between UBC starting pitcher
Connor Noble and Oregon Tech's John Schultz. After a scoreless first inning the T-Birds got on the board in the top of the second thanks to a solo home run from Allemann who went yard for the first time this season.
The Owls chipped away at Noble scoring a single run in each of the following three innings taking a 3-1 lead by the end of the fifth.
But then UBC's bats came alive putting up six runs in the sixth inning with Robinson getting the ball rolling. The third baseman drove home a pair with a single to right field to tie the game with none out chasing Schultz who was replaced by veteran reliever Wes Loy.
After getting
Vinny Martin to pop out, Loy walked Parlow who advanced to second on a wild pitch while Robinson made it to third.
Geoff Ehresman came into pinch hit for
John Whaley but struck out. Allemann then kept his hot bat going driving in Robinson and Parlow with a double to right field as UBC took a 5-3 lead.
Griffy Goyer came in as a pinch runner for Allemann and scored on a fielding error to increase the T-Birds' lead to three runs.
Aidan Goodall came in to pitch the sixth for UBC while Noble allowed three runs on nine hits striking out four in the no-decision.
Oregon Tech closed the gap scoring two runs in the inning while the T-Birds threatened to widen their lead again in the top of the seventh after Loy put his first two batters on base. Brooks Hanson was called in from the bull pen and retired three straight to keep the Owls within reach.
UBC called on
Patrick van den Brink for the bottom of the seventh and the second-year right hander was full value retiring six straight batters heading into the final inning while the T-Birds were unable to add to their lead until the ninth where the bats came alive once again.
After a couple of RBI doubles, Hanson loaded the bases and proceeded to walk a third straight batter to increase UBC's lead to 10-5. That brought McComb to the plate and with the bases still loaded the shortstop unleashed the grand slam to put the T-Birds up by nine.
The Owls tacked on one run in the ninth but couldn't pull any closer as UBC won by an eight-run margin for the second time in conference play this season. Goodall got credit for the win, his first of the year.
The second half of the double-header saw the Owls jump out to a 5-2 lead by the end of the second inning. After Oregon Tech opened scoring with a single run in the first, the T-Birds responded as
Anthony Cusati hit a lead-off double.
Nick Spillman followed up with an RBI triple to get the 'Birds on the board.
Brendan Rose hit a sacrifice fly to centre field allowing Spillman to cross home giving the T-Birds the 2-1 lead.
The Owls then sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom half of the second taking a 5-2 lead thru three before adding another in the third prior to the game being suspended.
Following the completion of game two of the series, the two teams will play their previously scheduled Sunday double-header with both games reduced to seven innings. First pitch for Game 3 of the series is set for 1 p.m. PT at Kiger Stadium.
