VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds softball team was eliminated from the Cascade Conference Championships, presented by U.S. Bank, with an 8-2 loss to the 17th-ranked Corban (Ore.) Warriors Saturday at University Field in Ashland, Ore.
 
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring in the Saturday morning elimination game with a run in the first inning. After Cassa Courtney stole second, Claire Eccles came home on a throwing error by Corban catcher Jessie Isham.
 
The Warriors replied with three runs over the next two innings. The big blow came off the bat of Isham, who hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first.
 
UBC closed to 3-2 on a Courtney double down the right field line to score Eccles in the third.
 

However, that was as close at the T-Birds got, as Corban scored five more runs the rest of the way to record the win.
 
In her last university game, Eccles went 3-for-3 at the plate, with two runs scored and a walk. Rookie Nicole Salas also had three hits in three at-bats. Courtney, Jordan Britten-Yung, and senior Shaelyn Ogilvie had the other hits for UBC.
 

Four Thunderbirds – Eccles, Ogilvie, Michaela Moore, and Sierra Sherritt – have finished their university eligibility and graduate into the ranks of UBC softball alumni.
 
The T-Birds finish the year with a record of 12-27 (8-18 CCC), and a third straight appearance in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship, presented by U.S. Bank. The program has earned six playoff berths in the past seven seasons.