VANCOUVER –
Braeden Allemann pitched nothing short of brilliantly for the UBC Thunderbirds (18-10, 24-20) Sunday going nine complete innings with 14 strikeouts to clinch a series win over the visiting Corban Warriors (12-12, 23-20) at Thunderbird Park in a 3-1 win.
The Warriors stormed back with a convincing 13-1 victory in the series finale, preventing the T-Birds from clinching a playoff berth for the time being.
In just his second game as a starter, the senior righty allowed just one earned run on eight hits coming just one strikeout shy of tying the team's all-time single game record held by Jeff Francis.
"This is just his second start and he was probably at his best towards the end of the game to be honest," said UBC head coach
Chris Pritchett of his catcher turned relief pitcher turned starter. "It's huge for us because we had two starters who were unable to go again this week and he stepped right in and we couldn't ask for anything more. I thought the guys played well behind him too."
Allemann picked up his second win of the season in the UBC victory.
John Whaley went 3/4 with an RBI while crossing the plate three times.
The new stadium was officially opened prior to the doubleheader with a number of donors and alumni on hand for a ceremonial first pitch, including Francis.
Game One
Following a terrific performance against the Lewis-Clark State Warriors last weekend, Allemann continued where he left off retiring his first six batters.
Whaley got the T-Birds' first hit of the day, a one-out stand-up double in the bottom of the second. Austin Butler drove him home to open scoring with a double that landed about four inches fair along the left field line.
Both starting pitchers were solid through the first three innings as Corban's Caleb Henry held the T-Birds to just the one run and two hits.
Whaley hit his second double of the game in the bottom of the fourth to get back into scoring position. The left fielder crossed home for the second time thanks to a
Nolan Weger single, doubling UBC's lead.
Still ahead 2-0, Allemann allowed his first run in the eighth as Josh Ebert scored from third on a passed ball. The senior pitcher came out of the inning still with the lead as he struck out Ben Ross, his 11
th strikeout of the game.
UBC managed to restore their two-run advantage thanks to a solo home run to left by Whaley, his third extra base hit of the game.
Allemann was left in to close out his first complete game win finishing with an incredible 14 strikeouts, the most by any single pitcher in the conference this season.
Game Two
The Warriors got on the board early in the series finale with a Daniel Freiburger RBI single in the top of the first. The visitors then staked out a 4-0 lead in the second when Ethan Bragg nailed a three-run home run over the left field wall.
UBC went to the bullpen early bringing in Pat van den Brink for the third who quickly struck out the side.
The Warriors added another run in the fourth on a Bragg single, his fourth RBI of the game. Corban then scored four more in the fifth to make it a 9-0 lead.
The 'Birds brought in their fourth pitcher of the game in the top of the sixth as
Graham Bailey made his second appearance of the season. But unfortunately for the junior righty, things didn't go terribly well. Bailey allowed four more Corban runs on three hits with two strikeouts through an inning and a third.
UBC scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh when
Mitch Robinson doubled to centre to score Weger.
Finishing 14-3 at Thunderbird Park this season, the 'Birds have just one series left when they head to Klamath Falls, Oregon for a four-game set against the Oregon Tech Owls starting Saturday, April 28.
"We were not as sharp mentally as we normally are and I don't know to attribute that to," said Pritchett of the series finale result. "But overall these last few weeks, this has been a really good home stand to put us in a good position and we'll just keep working hard and go from here. This new ball park has energized us. I think the guys are very proud to be at home and defend their home turf."
UBC will enjoy their bye week which could potentially see them clinch a post-season berth depending on other results from the NAIA West Grouping.
