VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds (10-7, 16-17) extended their win streak to six games with a Good Friday sweep over the visiting College of Idaho Yotes at Thunderbird Park.
Niall Windeler pitched a gem for the 'Birds going eight plus innings in a 3-1 win to begin the five-game Easter weekend set.
The T-Birds found themselves down 3-0 in the second inning in the second half of the doubleheader and still trailed by one heading to the bottom of the ninth.
Kyle McComb scored on a throwing error to tie the game and
Braeden Allemann drove in the winning run on a fielder's choice RBI as UBC remains undefeated at their new stadium.
"We put some swings on at the right time with some timely hitting and we were able to push a couple across but otherwise they were pretty stingy on the mound," said UBC head coach
Chris Pritchett. "You got to take what they give you, I think some of our at bats were really good in the first game but their guy pitched pretty well, sometimes that's the way it goes. We persevered and were able to play some little ball and make some nice bunts and make plays in clutch situations."
Game One
Game one of the doubleheader saw the 'Birds as the "visiting" team as the contest was a makeup for a snowed out series finale in Caldwell, Idaho earlier in March.
It didn't take long for the 'Birds to get on the board when
Braeden Allemann hit a two-out double just inside the left field foul line to score
Mitch Robinson in the top of the first inning.
Windeler had a three-up, three-down first and went on to retire the first 12 batters he faced as the second-year ace had a perfect game going into the fifth inning.
McComb led off the fifth with a stand-up double and later scored on a Lanferman sacrifice fly to right as UBC doubled their lead to 2-0 heading to the bottom of the inning.
Windeler's perfect game bid was broken by the first batter he faced in the bottom half when Yotes right fielder Chase Labbe singled to left. But Windeler retired his next three batters to keep C of I off the board.
The Yotes once again saw their lead off batter get on base in the sixth with a Jake Bowman single up the middle. But the catcher was caught stealing second while Windeler got Carter Viera to strike out and then forced Johnny Hyland to ground out, ending the inning.
Justin Orton singled to left to kick off the top of the seventh and then advanced to third on a throwing error to first that saw McComb reach safely.
Anthony Cusati grounded into a double play but Orton was able to score to make it 3-0 'Birds.
Windeler allowed his first and only run of the game when Kole Lane hit a leadoff home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the eighth. Dylan Mansanarez followed up with a single to shallow left while Jake Bowman also singled to left but Windeler managed to get out of the jam. UBC's ace picked off Mike Kirby who came in as a pinch runner for Mansanarez when he attempted to steal second. Windeler then got Viera to strike out and ended the threat with a Van Horne pop out.
Down by two in the bottom of the ninth, the Yotes got a lead off single from Dominic Conigliaro. Pat van den Brink came in to close for Windeler with one on and none out. The junior reliever struck out his first two batters and got Lane to ground out to complete his third save of the season.
Windeler was dominant in his eight plus innings of work allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out six for his third win of the season.
Game Two
The Yotes struck early in the second half of the doubleheader with a Lane RBI double.
C of I started the second inning much like the first with a leadoff double by Bowman to the right field wall. Nate Hundley came in as a pinch runner for Bowman, a move that paid off for the Yotes when he stole third and then crossed home on an error. The visitors added another run on a Hyland RBI single to right for the early 3-0 lead.
Cusati got the T-Birds on the board in the bottom of the third with an RBI single to right field to cut the Yotes' lead to two runs.
Austen Butler hit a lead-off stand-up double in the bottom of the fifth for his second hit of the game.
Mitch Robinson followed with an RBI single up the middle to bring the 'Birds within one.
Both teams went to the bullpen in the eighth as
Jack Caswell came in to pitch for UBC after starter
Brad Smith allowed three runs, two of them earned, on five hits with five strikeouts. Caswell pitched a shutout inning with the Yotes then turning to Gaige Kepner.
The 'Birds' comeback started with a McComb ninth inning leadoff walk. Lanferman then laid down a bunt and made it safe on an overthrow to first that also allowed McComb to score, tying the game at three. Lanferman then scored the game winning run from second when Allemann managed to drop the ball in the infield while the Yotes were unable to turn the double play.
"If we get behind, there's not a panic, we know we can find a way to get it done and when it does pay off it just adds to the credibility of what we're trying to do," said Pritchett who feels the overall confidence level in his group on the rise. "I think there's a little momentum, there's still a long way to go but we got some good confidence going."
The 'Birds now sit three games above .500 and will look to continue climbing with another doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m.
