SURREY, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds completed a three-game Cascade Collegiate Conference softball series sweep over Northwest (Wash.) with a 3-1 victory over the Eagles in Game 1, before the visitors won the non-conference match-up 6-5 in nine innings to cap off the weekend.
 
UBC moved two games ahead of the College of Idaho for the final CCC playoff spot, after the Coyotes dropped two of three contests at Northwest Christian (Ore.) this weekend.
 

GAME 1 – UBC 3, Northwest 1

UBC's Emma Tuson (8-6) recorded her sixth straight complete-game victory as the pitcher from Maple Ridge, B.C., surrendered just four hits and an unearned run.
 
A two-out walk allowed Northwest to load the bases in the top of the second inning with the game still scoreless. Tuson induced a groundout to first to get out of the jam.
 
The T-Birds then went ahead in the home half of the second by scoring twice. Sierra Sherritt led off with a triple to left center field but was in danger of being stranded after two UBC strikeouts. Ashley Jacob kept the inning alive by drawing a four-pitch walk. Taylore Jones loaded the bases with another walk.
 
Sydney Brown then stepped up to the plate and singled up the middle to drive in Sherritt and Jacob to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
 
The T-Birds went up 3-0 by adding an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Jacob hit a one-out triple, and then scored two batters later on an errant throw from left field.
 
Northwest got a run back in the seventh as Samantha Parisio scored from first with two outs on a dropped fly ball. The run broke a streak of 20 scoreless innings thrown by UBC pitches.
 
Tuson, however, ended the Eagles' comeback attempt by getting pinch hitter Sammi Caron to pop up to second on her 83rd pitch of the contest.
 
Brown had two hits and two runs batted in to lead UBC offensively. Paige Harbord also had a pair of hits. Jacob went 1 for 1 and drew two walks.
 
Northwest starter Stephanie Granger was the hard-luck loser, falling despite a complete game performance in which she gave up just two earned runs, while recording four strikeouts.
 

GAME 2 – Northwest 6, UBC 5 (nine innings)

The T-Birds sent the game into extra innings after coming back from a 5-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Logan Bailey started the rally with a lead-off single to right field. Natasha Aisenstat then doubled to right center. Mackenzie Siddall got UBC on the scoreboard after driving Bailey in with a single to right field. After a Siddall stolen base, Emily Chorpita loaded the bases after drawing, winning a 10-pitch battle with Northwest starter Rachel Hawley.
 
One batter later, Brown plated Aisenstat on a fielder's choice to the shortstop. Frances Ramsay followed with a two-run single to left center; a fielding error on the same play allowed Brown to score the tying run. With two outs, and Ramsay on second base, Northwest center fielder Maggie Harshaw made a running, game-saving catch on a Michaela Moore fly ball to end the inning.
 
That play allowed the Eagles to rebound and score in the ninth inning to win the game.
 
Darian Godfrey hit a one-out single to shortstop, and then stole second. After UBC got a second out, Alicia Loiler hit a clutch single to right field to score Godfrey.
 
Northwest opened the game with six straight singles that helped bring home three runs. A fourth run came through on a passed ball.
 

Catcher Erin Reid led UBC with two hits, while Ramsay had two runs batted in. Brown and Siddall chipped in with an RBI apiece. Chantelle Twynstra (2-5) threw six innings of effective relief for the T-Birds but ended up with the loss despite giving up just five hits and a couple of earned runs.
 
Godfrey led the Eagles by hitting 3 for 4 with a sacrifice hit, and two stolen bases. Harshaw went 3 for 5 with an RBI. Hannah Yelas picked up the win after pitching the final 1.2 innings.
 
UBC will wrap up the regular season this weekend with four games at Softball City against Northwest Christian. The Thunderbirds will celebrate their senior players on Saturday. Northwest will host Oregon Tech this weekend to close out the 2018 campaign.