LEWISTON, Idaho –
Ty Penner's 11th-inning home run – his second in as many games and third of the season – gave the UBC Thunderbirds a 6-5 victory over the Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) Warriors in the finale of their four-game NAIA West baseball series in Lewiston, Idaho.
The Warriors struck for three runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at three. Both teams scored in the ninth and 10th before the Thunderbirds shut LCSC down in the 11th.
Penner's home run was one of three for UBC in Sunday's game, the start of which was delayed from 11 a.m., to 2:35 p.m., because of rain.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring in the top of the sixth on
Brandon Hupe's three-run shot into the left field bleachers, which brought home
Jaxon Valcke and
Lichel Hirakawa-Kao.
LC State used three doubles in the bottom of the eighth to score three runs and tie the contest at 3-3.
UBC regrouped and re-took the lead on
Nolan Weger's two-out, solo home run, his third of the campaign, over the left-field fence to put the T-Birds ahead 4-3.
However, three straight walks to LC loaded the bases in the bottom of ninth before Kyle Callahan scored on a wild pitch.
The Thunderbirds responded with a run in the 10th, as Valcke nailed a two-out RBI double down the left-field line to score
Mike Fitzsimmons. The Warriors were down to their last out in the home half of the 10th, but tied the game again on a Callahan double to tie things up 5-5 and set the stage for Penner's heroics.
Thunderbirds reliever
Jack Caswell pitched a scoreless 11th, which included two strikeouts, to earn his first career save at the collegiate level. UBC starter
James Bradwell pitched six shutout innings, giving up just two hits, while striking out five. Reliever
Patrick van den Brink got the win.
Hupe had three runs batted in, while Weger and Valcke had a pair of hits each.
The Thunderbirds will head to Keizer, Ore., next weekend for four games at Volcanoes Stadium against the Corban (Ore.) Warriors (12-23-1, 10-12 NAIA West), who sit fourth in the NAIA West Grouping standings.
- with files from Alisha Alexander (Lewis-Clark State Warriors)
