LEWISTON, Idaho – The UBC Thunderbirds lost both games of a baseball doubleheader that matched up the leaders of the NAIA West Grouping Friday in Lewiston, Idaho.

The T-Birds (18-13, 13-5 NAIA West) fell 4-3 to the host Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) Warriors (22-11-1, 14-6 NAIA West) in the opener, before losing 7-3 in the Game 2.

Game 1

The T-Birds took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning but fell victim to a comeback by the home side.

Brandon Hupe hit a second-inning RBI groundout to score Ty Penner for the game's first run.

Nolan Weger doubled that lead in the top of the seventh with a two-base hit to right center to bring home Hupe.

Then in the eighth, Noah Or hit his first career home run to center field to put UBC up 3-0.

Lewis-Clark State's A.J. Davis broke up the shutout in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single to center. A hit up the middle by Darren Trainor knotted the game at three runs apiece.

Riley Way singled to lead off the ninth before a walk to Kody Garvin and an error allowing Jeff Bart to reach loaded the bases. Dalton Duarte stepped to the plate and sent a sacrifice fly into left to bring in Way and complete the comeback win for the Warriors.

UBC starter Niall Windeler pitched 7.2 innings, gave up three runs and struck out five batters.

LCSC's Andrew Najeeb-Brush earned the win after tossing two and two thirds innings while giving up one hit and striking out two.
 

Tough Friday for the @ubctbirds as we fall to the LC Warriors in today's doubleheader
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Game 1@Windy_16 7.2IP, 3H, 3ER, 5K
Nolan Weger 2-4, RBI-double
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Game 2
Noah Or 2-4, RBI@austen_butler 1-3, RBI
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Rematch tomorrow. First pitch at 12pm
??: @BobFridImages | #ubcbaseball pic.twitter.com/MWqEXTPGl6

— UBC Baseball (@ubc_baseball) April 6, 2019

 

Game 2

The Thunderbirds fell behind 2-0 after an inning and couldn't get back on even terms after that.

Austen Butler drove in Jaxon Valcke in the second to UBC on the scoreboard, but the Warriors answered back with a solo home run in the home half of the inning.

Mike Fitzsimmons cut the Warriors' lead to 3-2 by scoring on a wild pitch in the top of the third, but again, LCSC restored its two-run lead with a solo home run.

A Kyle Callahan sacrifice fly in the fifth extended the home team's advantage to 5-2.

UBC mounted a comeback attempt in the seventh as Liam Vulcano touched home plate on an Or single to right centre to make it 5-3.

But the Warriors put the game away with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning on a fielder's choice play that also included an error.

Or led the T-Birds offensively with a pair of hits and an RBI.

The teams continue their four-game set Saturday at noon.