VANCOUVER – A 12-run third inning was more than the Lewis-Clark State Warriors (16-2, 26-6) needed as the defending NAIA champions cruised to a 16-4 win over the UBC Thunderbirds (14-9, 20-19) Saturday afternoon at Thunderbird Park.
UBC entered the third with a 3-1 lead but the Warriors put up 12 runs on five hits as the 'Birds pitchers had trouble finding the strike zone and dug a hole that proved too deep to get out of.
"I don't think anyone quit, we were definitely deflated after going up 3-1 and then having LC put up that big number," said UBC head coach
Chris Pritchett who saw a tough day on the mound but also some missed opportunities. "We had the early lead but we had a couple bases loaded situations and we weren't really able to cash in. If we have a guy on the ropes we need to take advantage of that."
For the second straight game the Warriors got on the board early as Cory Voss hit a two-out solo home run over the right field wall. Rookie UBC starter
Finnigan Duffield then got Kyle Callahan to strikeout to bring the 'Birds to the plate.
Anthony Cusati continued his hot hitting of late with a leadoff single. LC starting pitcher Rian Bassett then hit two straight UBC batters to load the bases.
Braeden Allemann hit into a fielder's choice but Voss was unable to hold onto the ball on the throw to the plate allowing Cusati to score tying the game at one apiece with the bases still loaded and none out.
Austen Butler hit into another fielder's choice scoring the 'Birds' second run of the inning while the Warriors were unable to turn the double play. Bassett struck out his next two batters to get out of the inning without any further damage while the T-Birds held the 2-1 lead heading to the second.
Bassett got into trouble for the second straight inning and issued a bases loaded walk to
Mitch Robinson to make it 3-1 'Birds. Once again, however, the Warriors pitcher prevented any more from getting across.
Duffield allowed a walk and a single to start the third and things only got worse from there. The Warriors put up a total of 12 runs in the frame to take a 13-3 lead after two and a half innings. The 'Birds walked seven batters and hit two others in the frame.
After the fourth LC run of the inning,
Nick Virdo entered in relief but didn't fare any better as he saw another eight cross the plate.
Tim Walters came in as UBC's third pitcher of the game and was able to get Makana Victorine to hit into the inning ending double play.
Neither team scored another run until the top of the eighth when Joey Parente hit a two-run homer to increase the Warriors' lead to a whopping 12 runs.
LC tacked on one more in the ninth as did the 'Birds in their half courtesy of a solo homer by Butler, his second long-ball of the weekend. Unfortunately for UBC they couldn't get any closer suffering a second straight loss by a double digit margin.
Duffield took the loss for the 'Birds while Bassett picked up his fourth win of the season allowing three runs on four hits through five complete innings.
Walters was a standout for UBC in his first conference appearance on the mound. The rookie pitched 5.2 innings of relief allowing two runs on four hits, striking out one.
"
Tim Walters did a really good job of coming in and he hadn't pitched in a while," said Pritchett, who was very pleased with what he saw from his rookie reliever. "He also allowed us to save a couple guys for tomorrow and hopefully it's a closer game and we have a chance to win it. If we can throw more strikes and make them put the ball in play instead of giving up free bases that'll be our best chance."
UBC will attempt to complete the series split in Sunday's finale. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. PT at Thunderbird Park.
