KEIZER, Ore. – The UBC Thunderbirds (3-7, 8-15) lost both halves of Saturday's doubleheader against Corban at Volcanoes Stadium marking the first time the Warriors (6-1, 16-10) have earned a series win over their NAIA West rivals to the north.
The Warriors won a high-scoring first game by a 13-7 margin followed by a convincing 12-2 victory to hand the T-Birds a fifth straight loss.
Game one on Saturday was back and forth from the start as UBC struck first with two runs in the first frame, but the Warriors responded immediately with two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. RBI singles by Ethan Bragg and Drew Loera in the second frame put the home side up 4-2 before eventually taking a 6-3 lead heading into the fifth.
Again, however, the Thunderbirds bounced back and eventually tied the game at 7-7 in the seventh inning thanks to a
Mitch Robinson solo home run.
Corban exploded in the eighth with six runs to surge ahead of UBC, highlighted by RBI hits from Josh Ebert, Daniel Freiburger, and Jarett Thoren.
The Warriors then promptly closed the game out in the ninth to earn the team's second win of the series, this time by six runs. Ebert finished 3-for-3 at the dish with two RBI and four runs scored, while Bragg and Freiburger both tallied a pair of hits, with Freiburger racking up three RBI.
Earning the win in relief was Austin Holmes, as he went two innings, allowing just one hit and no runs.
In the defeat, Robinson led the way at the plate for the Thunderbirds with a 2-for-4 performance and a long home run.
John Whaley also went yard with a solo shot in the third and finished 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI.
Adam McKillican started the game allowing six runs on seven hits through five complete innings but reliever
Finnigan Duffield was tagged with the loss.
Game 2 was more of the same for the Warriors as they continued the momentum into the series-clinching win. Corban's aggressiveness on the base paths led to three runs in the second inning, two more in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Leading 6-1 in the sixth, the Warriors piled on six more runs resulting in the seven-inning domination of UBC.
On the mound Connor Mattison was outstanding going the distance while allowing just three hits and two runs, neither of which were earned. At the plate, Bragg finished 2-for-4 with two RBI in the triumph, while Freiburger went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. In addition, Brock Myklebust went 2-for-3 with one RBI in the win.
UBC starter
Brad Smith went 4.1 innings allowing six runs, three of them earned, on seven hits while striking out three.
The 'Birds will attempt to close out the series on a high note with the finale scheduled for 12 noon PT Sunday at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer.
