VANCOUVER – It was a picture-perfect day at Tourmaline West Stadium Saturday afternoon, as the UBC Thunderbirds took on The College of Idaho Yotes in a double-header matchup saw the visitors open the day with a 4-3 victory, followed by a 5-4 comeback win for UBC in the second game.
Game 1
Shane Laforest took the mound for UBC in the first game, making quick work of the first inning by retiring his first two batters then closing by forcing a groundout. The T-Birds stayed aggressive with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, as
Ty Penner singled through the ride side before a Yotes error put two men on base.
Nathan Shute stepped up to the plate and muscled an opposite field RBI single to give UBC a 1-0 lead.
Laforest continued to throw heat in the bottom of the second, forcing a double-play before
Noah Or threw a rope to second base, catching the Yotes runner trying to steal second.
Mike Fitzsimmons ended the Yotes third inning with a great defensive play, as he snatched a line drive and rifled a throw to first to tag up the runner to complete the double-play. Fitzsimmons stepped up to the plate in the next half inning and smashed a leadoff single to left-field. Or followed with a low-driven base hit through the middle before Shute drove a single to left-field; almost turning into extra-bases if it wasn't for the steady outstretched glove of Yotes right-fielder Ben Dudley as the visitors escaped the inning stranding two men on base.
A failed pickoff attempt in the top of the fourth gave the Yotes some life, but Fitzsimmons continued his clean morning to close the inning with a smooth defensive snag and throw to first.
The Yotes cut the lead in half in the fifth inning, as Gaff pushed an RBI single through the middle;
Brandon Hupe gunned down the last out trying to advance third base to limit the damage.
A Yotes error in the bottom of the fifth inning extended UBC's lead back to two, but the visitors kept fighting by adding pressure in the next inning to tie the game as Dudley fought off pitches to hit an RBI single, followed by a Jake Denison sac fly.
Laforest lasted seven strong innings before left-hander
Jake Richmond-Benner entered the game.
The T-Birds opened the top of the eighth with a single up the middle. Yotes reliever Colby Durski got two more outs before walking two straight batters to load the bases. With the pressure turned up and UBC eager to run the bases, Durski won the battle as he struck out his man for the last out of the inning, leaving three men on base.
Following a couple of Yotes errors in the top of the eighth, Penner pulled a single to right field and Shute connected on an infield dribbler that caused a throwing error. Weger proceeded to connect on a deep ball to left-field that was snagged at the wall by Trevor Watkins. The defensive play saved multiple runs from scoring, and brought the visiting bench to their feet.
The Yotes executed small-ball play to advance runners in the top of the ninth, then a wild pitch brought the go-ahead run to the plate and gave the visitors a 4-3 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth.
Erik Wisenor successfully closed the game, earning the save to give the Yotes their second straight victory of the series. Colby Durski improved his record to 3-1 on the season, as Richmond-Benner (0-1) dropped his first game of the season.
"We couldn't really get any momentum offensively," said UBC Head Coach
Chris Pritchett. "Probably too many fly balls from us on this type of day, not that you can direct that as a hitter but it wasn't putting a lot of pressure on them defensively."
Game 2
After a clean first inning from UBC starting pitcher
Cole Alguire, the 'Birds were effective at the plate in the bottom of the first for the third-straight game. Yotes starting pitcher Luke Brewer hit a couple of batters to lead off the game, and gave up some hard-hit balls in his five and two thirds innings of work.
The Yotes opened scoring in the top of the second with an RBI double from Tanner Leaf, followed by run scored from a UBC error. Brandon Woods stepped into the game for the 'Birds and struck-out the last batter of the inning, after Alguire left the mound with an injury.
"I'm really proud of our guys," added Pritchett. "We kept bouncing back and scrapping to compete, because it's tough after losing a couple of close ones."
The visitors added to their lead in the top of the third, where a Weston Miller single drove in two more runs to bring the game to 4-0.
The T-Birds were only able to land two hits in five innings off the Yotes starting pitcher, who controlled UBC's bats until the bottom of the sixth. Or earned a lead-off walk, followed by a Yotes error which got Penner to first. With a couple of men on base, Hupe singled to centre field to score UBC's first run of the game before the Yotes made a change on the mound to bring in Kyle McPeak. Taking advantage of the new arm in a pressure situation, Rose drove an RBI single up the middle to bring UBC within one, now trailing 4-3.
Woods' night was over in the eighth inning, handing the ball of after striking out five.
Matthew Shewfelt entered the game and understood assignment, allowing just two hits in the final two innings of play to give his team a punchers chance in the bottom of the ninth.
Time was running out for the 'Birds, but their plate appearances continued to improve.
Cameron Sanderson led off with a hard-hit ball to third base for the first out of the inning. Fitzsimmons patience at the plate then drew a walk, followed by a Yotes error which allowed Or to reach first. With runners on first and second base, Penner stepped up to the plate and won the battle, drawing another walk to load the bases and continue to build momentum.
Hupe connected on a ball that carried far enough for his teammate to tag up from third base and tie the game. The 'Birds channeled the elevated energy and executed at the plate with the game on the line, showcasing their discipline by drawing their third walk of the inning to load the bases again. Gaff's second wild pitch of the inning allowed Or to score the game winning run and give UBC their first conference win of the season.
"We had an early injury on the mound which was tough," explained Pritchett. "But we had guys step up, keep up us in the game to give us a chance to win. We had some veteran players at the plate to end the game and the moment wasn't too big for them. They were composed and we got it done, it wasn't pretty but we put some pressure on them and we pulled it out."
UBC's Shewfelt (1-0) picked up his first win of the season, while Gaff falls to 1-4. Hupe led the 'Birds at the plate with two hits and two RBI.
This series wraps tomorrow morning, with the first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.m. (PT).
