The Matchup
The UBC Thunderbirds (16-8, 6-5) are back on home field hosting the College of Idaho Yotes (14-15, 7-5) for a four-game series this weekend starting Friday, March 24th at Thunderbird Park.
With both teams coming off disappointing results the previous weekend, it will be a big test for a pair of long-time conference rivals. Last season the T-Birds went 3-4 against the Yotes in the regular season taking three of four on home field. The two met again in the NAIA West Grouping Championship held at Thunderbird Park where the Yotes eliminated UBC from the tournament.
First pitch Friday is set for 1:00 p.m. PT followed by a double-header Saturday at 1:00 p.m. PT and 3:45 p.m. PT. The series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 11:00 a.m. PT, all at Thunderbird Park.
Last Action
The Thunderbirds dropped three of four against the Oregon Tech Owls in Klamath Falls last weekend losing their first series of the season. After putting up 8 runs in the ninth inning for a 14-6 series opening win, UBC lost the next three, two of them by a single run.
The Yotes also lost three of four last weekend as they hosted the Lewis-Clark State Warriors. C of I dropped the first two games of the series by a combined 15 runs before earning a 3-2 win to close out a Saturday double-header. The Yotes then fell 7-5 in Sunday's finale.
By the Numbers
.303 – Despite struggling to get hits in their last three games, the T-Birds still hold the conference's second best batting average at .303 while continuing to lead with a .451 slugging percentage.
61 – UBC's pitching staff continues to lead the conference in a number of categories including walks with just 61 on the season overall, or an average of just 2.54 per game.
Players to Watch
Kyle McComb (#3, SS) – Batting 6-for-11 last weekend against the Owls, McComb hammered a grand slam in Friday's win and has bumped up his season batting average to .323. The Surrey native is averaging almost a hit per game (20 hits in 21 games) and has eight extra-base hits.
Christian Botnick (#34, P) – The right-handed reliever is coming off an exceptional game last Saturday where he allowed no runs and just a single hit in four and a third innings of work. Through eight appearances overall this season he has a 0.57 ERA with 12 strikeouts.
Coach's Take
Back at home after a grueling trip to Klamath Falls, Oregon last weekend, UBC head coach
Chris Pritchett is also happy to have the series with the Yotes stretched out over three days.
"To play four, nine inning games in 24 hours is almost impossible, the amount of pitching you have to have," said Pritchett whose squad played a marathon 19 innings of baseball last Sunday against the Owls.
"If you play Friday, Saturday, Sunday, you can possibly use a reliever Friday and then again Sunday, it's more the way baseball is supposed to be played. I think it's better from a health and a competition standpoint."
Much like the Thunderbirds, the Yotes' record early this season is a bit deceiving and they're an opponent Pritchett expects to provide a good litmus test for his squad.
"This is a team that really is a good measure to see where we're at and someone we expect to be in the top two or three in the league by the end of the season," Pritchett said. "We'll be facing some terrific pitching this weekend so it's a big challenge but I think our hitters will be up to it."
