LEWISTON, Idaho – The UBC Thunderbirds dropped back-to-back games to a Lewis-Clark Warriors squad that were swinging the bat well in the comfortable confines of their home park in Lewiston, ID Saturday afternoon.
Luke White and Charlie Updegrave each had historic days at the plate in Saturday's doubleheader against UBC. White became the first Warrior since current head coach Jake Taylor to hit two home runs in the same inning, then became the first LC State player to hit a home run in four straight at bats. Updegrave, making his first-career start, set the single-game RBI record with 10 on three home runs.
LC State took both games of the day against the T-Birds to push the winning streak to 26 games, tying the second longest in program history.
GAME ONE: LC State def. UBC 13-1 (7 innings)
The Warriors jumped in front early with two runs in the first and one in the second. Riley Way tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a base hit by A.J. Davis. A double by White made it 2-0 before Jack Sheward added to the lead in the second with the first home run of his career. The solo shot pushed the advantage to 3-0 after two innings.
LC State manufactured a run in the fifth with a double by Dominic Signorelli and a sacrifice fly by Davis. After a leadoff single by Sam Linscott in the sixth, White and Matt James hit back-to-back big flies to break the game wide open at 7-0. Justin Mazzone kept the inning going with a double before stealing third and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Sheward.
The inning continued with a walk to Coy Stout and three straight singles by Way, Davis and Aidan Nagle to grow the lead. White capped the inning with his second homer of the frame to send LC into the top of the seventh leading 13-0.
With his two home runs in the sixth, White became the first LC Warrior to hit two home runs in the same inning since current head coach Jake Taylor in 1993.
T-Birds first baseman
Ty Penner struck for the visitors first hit and run of the game in the top of the seventh inning, scoring short stop Mike FItzsimmons thanks to a single to right field but the Warriors had enough of a cushion to end the game in run-rule fashion. Even though hits were in short supply UBC did a good job of getting on base however failed to do themselves many favours in game one by leaving nine runners on the bags total in the tilt.
Starter Dawson Day was unhittable in his five-inning outing. The lefty earned his fifth win of the season behind four strikeouts. Eric Chavarria closed out the final two innings on the mound.
White tallied three hits and six RBI to lead the LC offense, while Way, Davis, James and Mazzone each had two knocks. Davis knocked in three runs and Mazzone had the lone stolen base.
GAME TWO: LC State def. UBC 19-6 (7 innings)
LC State's offense intensified over the second half of the day. The Thunderbirds posted a pair of two-run innings to start the second half of the twin bill, but a three spot by LC in the bottom of the second kept things close.
White led off the inning with his third home run of the contest, and Mazzone wore a pitch to put a runner on. Updegrave launched his first homer as a Warrior in the next at bat to make it a 4-3 ball game.
UBC put up its third two-run inning to push the difference to 6-3. Leading the way for the 'Birds in game two was outfielder
Brandon Hupe who managed two hits, two RBI while scoring two. The other bright spot for the blue and gold was
Brett Corbeth who stepped up with two hits, two RBI and a run scored. In game two the 'Birds were swinging the bat better as evidenced by their nine total hits compared to just three in game one but similar to the opener the visitors didn't cash enough of those hits in by leaving seven runners on base.
Linscott showed off his speed in the home half of the third by taking second, third and home on a wild pitch. White followed with a solo shot to bring LC within one, and back-to-back doubles by Updegrave and Pu'ukani De Sa put the Warriors in front 7-6
Two straight singles by Linscott and White got things going for LC in the fourth. A sacrifice fly by James was followed by a double by Mazzone and single by Updegrave to make it 10-6. An error brought in one more to cap the four-run fourth inning.
The Warriors posted their third straight four-run inning after three walks loaded the bases and Updegrave crushed a grand slam for his second homer of the game. LC held a 15-6 advantage through five.
Doubles by Linscott, White and Mazzone, kept the offensive onslaught going in the sixth, and Updegrave's third deep shot of the game gave the designated hitter 10 RBI.
Updegrave was 5-for-5 in the contest with three home runs and record 10 RBI. White was 4-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI, and both scored five runs.
Drake Borschowa had the start for the Warriors and went two innings. Cameron Smith threw three in relief to earn the win, and Lucas Gregory and Trevin Hope each threw one inning.
The Warriors wrap up the season series with UBC on Sunday at 11 a.m.
