CALDWELL, Idaho – The UBC Thunderbirds had a late game comeback bid fall just short dropping a 7-6 decision to the College of Idaho Yotes Friday night in their Cascade Collegiate Conference series opener.   

A low-scoring affair through the first six innings took a turn when the teams combined for nine runs over the last three innings with the hosts hanging on despite UBC (14-11, 0-1) scoring the final four runs of the game.

The Yotes (15-7, 1-0) had a pair of players with multiple hits in the game, as Jake Denison led the way with three. Jonah Hultberg also contributed two in the victory. The Yotes got the scoring started in the second inning as Jordan Kelly doubled to right field which scored Alex McFarland-Smith. Denison followed that up in the next at bat with a single to right-centre field, which Kelly scored on, making the score 2-0 early.

The T-Birds answered back on a bases loaded walk in the fourth as Nate Vidlak was able to escape the jam only surrendering one run. In the sixth, Russell Young doubled to left field which scored Jonny McGill, tying the game at two. The College of Idaho was then able to surge in the seventh inning, exploding for five runs, as Hultberg led the way in the inning with a two-RBI single.

UBC was able to respond with four runs over the last two innings, capped off by an Aaron Marsh two-run long ball, as the game would end in a 7-6 victory for the Yotes. Colby Durski improved his record to 3-1 in the win, pitching two innings in relief. Nick Eliason earned his second save of the season, closing out the game in the ninth while striking out two. Sean Heppner was tabbed with the loss, his record dropping to 4-3.

The Yotes and Thunderbirds will be back at Wolfe Field for a conference doubleheader Saturday starting at 12:00 p.m. PT.