VANCOUVER — Strong winds deterred neither the home team's pitching nor their ability to hit the long ball as the UBC Thunderbirds (21-9, 26-18) completed a Saturday sweep of the visiting College of Idaho 'Yotes (10-21, 16-34) Saturday at Tourmaline West Stadium.
A
Nolan Weger solo home run was all the 'Birds needed in the first game in a 1-0 victory, thanks in large part to a solid seven inning performance by freshman
Garrett Hawkins.
Perhaps inspired by a ceremony celebrating UBC's three graduating seniors between games, rookie
Brandon Hupe homered twice and had a season-high five RBI in the second contest to help power the T-Birds to a 9-1 win.
"Pitching set the tone," said UBC head coach
Chris Pritchett who witnessed another pair of solid starts along with stellar relief performances. "I thought we played well defensively and that gave us a chance. When you pitch that well and then eventually the bats figure it out, you're going to be okay."
GAME 1
Weger's solo shot over the left field wall in the bottom of the second marked his fifth long ball of the season and his third straight game with a hit while recording his 20
th RBI.
Hawkins was dealing through four innings for UBC having allowed just a single hit, no runs, no walks, and four strikeouts.
C of I's starter, junior Richard Walker, was also enjoying a terrific day on the mound with eight strikeouts and just the one earned run through four as the two NAIA West rivals had their second straight pitcher's duel to start the series.
After seven strong innings and a quality start for Hawkins,
Barry Caine came out to pitch the eighth for UBC. Hawkins allowed just two 'Yotes hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Caine picked up where his starter left off, earning the two-inning save including a pair of strikeouts.
Ty Penner finished the game 2-for-4 while Weger went 1-for-3 scoring the game's only run on his solo shot in the second.
The 'Yotes couldn't have asked more from Walker who pitched the entire game allowing just the one run on six UBC hits while striking out ten.
GAME 2
Sophomore
Jared Spearing got the call for the 'Birds to start the second half of the double bill while the 'Yotes went to Tyler Hilton.
Runs were once again hard to come by early on, as the game remained scoreless through three innings with the 'Birds managing a single hit while Spearing allowed just a single base runner by way of a third inning walk.
The deadlock was broken in a big way by UBC with back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fourth. Hupe launched a two-run shot to left, his sixth long ball of the season, followed by a solo blast by Penner to straightaway centre which was especially impressive given the nearly 50 kilometre winds coming out of right field.
Hupe added his third RBI of the game the next inning with a single to centre. Pinch-runner
Wyatt Schnorr scored from second thanks to some good hustle and a diving slide into home.
Jessee Emerson came in to pitch the sixth for the 'Yotes but after back-to-back walks loaded the bases with two down, C of I went back to the pen bringing in senior righty Niall Manning.
Noah Or worked the count to full and earned an RBI walk as the 'Birds increased their lead to 5-0.
The 'Birds brought in
Jack Caswell to pitch the seventh and kept the 'Yotes off the scoreboard.
UBC added a sixth run in the seventh on a Weger sacrifice fly and another on a bases loaded walk.
Patrick van den Brink pitched another scoreless inning in the eighth for the 'Birds bringing the 'Yotes to their final three outs.
But before C of I could get back to the plate, the 'Birds did even more damage with Hupe's second home run of the game, a two-run blast to left, nearly identical to his previous bomb.
"He was getting his feet wet at the beginning just with the speed of the game at the college level and like all our hitters he's worked his tail off," said Pritchett of Hupe's progression throughout the season. "I think the swing keeps getting better and he's starting to see some results and that's good for us."
The game was already well in hand but the 'Yotes did get something to cheer for in the ninth when Port Moody native Matthew Clay hit a leadoff homer to right. That would also turn out to be the last time the 'Yotes could cheer as
Brett Corbeth, who was brought in to pitch the ninth, sat down his next three batters to secure UBC's fourth straight conference win.
Having already secured the series win, UBC will be able to complete their first home series sweep of the season in Sunday's finale against the 'Yotes which will also serve as the final regular season game for both teams.
"It's important we're playing well in all facets," added Pritchett who wants to ensure his group continues to head in the right direction heading into playoffs. "We haven't really played a complete game where we've pitched, hit, defended, base ran and did all those things with the right energy. So I've challenged the guys to come out tomorrow and make sure as soon as we hit the ground we prepare right and we try to have that complete game as a group."
First pitch at Tourmaline West Stadium on Sunday goes at 11:00 a.m. PT.
