SURREY, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds and the Carroll (Mont.) Fighting Saints battled to second straight split Saturday at Softball City in Surrey, B.C.
 
The Thunderbirds (3-8, 2-2 CCC) won the first game 10-4, before dropping the second 4-1. The opener was the rubber match in the Cascade Collegiate Conference series meaning UBC picked up the series win.
 
"I'm very happy about that, winning the conference games is really important if it ever comes down to a tie," said Collings. "I thought Claire Eccles had an awesome game, Sierra (Sherritt) hit the ball really well, Emma (Tuson) pitched really, really well. She's really doing a good job for us and she's got confidence now and she goes out there and shows it."
 
Claire Eccles hit a school-record three doubles, and drove in four runs to lead the UBC offence in Game 1.
 
"Since the start of the season I was struggling a little bit so I felt like I had to change my approach a bit," said Eccles. I've been waiting a bit more on the ball. I was trying to crush the ball earlier but now I'm just trying to be more relaxed and I think that's really helped. I'm not thinking too much about it.
 
"I'm just happy to help out my team and get the W for today and take the series."
 
Emily Chorpita's second-inning sacrifice fly got the Thunderbirds on the scoreboard first.
 
But the Saints (13-6, 1-2 CCC) responded in the top of the third when Allison Bayer scored on a Tianna Sell single.
 

 
UBC took control with an eight-run third inning.
 
Eccles smashed a double to left center to bring home Paige Harbord and Sydney Brown. She scored herself three batters later on an RBI single by Frances Ramsay. Sierra Sherritt followed Ramsay's hit with a double down the left field line to score two more runs.
 
The T-Birds batted around in the home half of the third. The bases were loaded when Brown came up to the plate for the second time. The senior earned a walk to make it 7-1 for the hosts. Eccles' second double of the inning got two more runs across, and rounded out the scoring in the third.

Carroll scored three runs in the third on a bases-loaded triple by Brooke Yarnell that score Sell, Anna ApRoberts and Jaylin Kenney, but that would be all of the offence that the Saints could muster.
 
The Thunderbirds added another run in the fifth as Ashley Jacob touched home plate on a passed ball.
 
Emma Tuson (2-2) earned the win, her second of the weekend, after a complete-game performance. She gave up just seven hits, and four hits, while throwing 132 pitches from the circle.
 

Eccles had three hits in four at-bats, along with four runs batted in. Harbord, Ramsay, and Sherritt all went 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored. Sherritt had a pair of RBIs.
 
"I like the grit, I like the way we're coming back when we're down and the never-give up attitude," remarked Collings. "There were a couple times yesterday and again today where we just bounced back and came back and we had that big inning, the feeling of hitting the ball and having everyone step up and say 'I'm going to do my job'. I'm liking the feel there, especially with the more experienced players."
 
In Game 2, the teams battled through four scoreless innings before the Saints got on the board in the top of the fifth. Sell singled up the middle to score Kenney. UBC answered in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 1-1 on a Michaela Moore RBI single.
 
However, the Saints added three more runs in the top of the sixth to clinch the victory.
 
The Thunderbirds had runners on second and third with just one out in the bottom of the seventh but couldn't get them any further as they dropped the non-conference matchup.
 
Taylore Jones went 2-for-3 batting in the leadoff spot. Starter Chantelle Twynstra battled for 4.2 innings, surrendering a lone unearned run.  
 
"We're coming along," said Collings of his team's young players. "They're developing their swings, Taylore Jones had an awesome day today I was very impressed with Taylor and she's sticking with the process now and starting to trust herself."
 
UBC is back on the road this weekend, with a pair of doubleheaders against Oregon Tech in Klamath Falls, Ore. Saturday's twin bill will start at 12 noon, while Sunday's first matchup will be contested at 11 a.m.

- with files from Jerek Wolcott (Carroll Fighting Saints Sports Information)