VANCOUVER – On the heels of a successful trek South to Montana, the UBC Thunderbirds (13-7, 7-4) return to the friendly confines of Collings Field this weekend to kick off a six-game home stand. Beginning Friday at 1:30 pm, the 'Birds take to the field for the first of four straight against the #5 nationally ranked Southern Oregon Raiders (18-4, 8-1).
The UBC Thunderbirds enter the weekend having captured five wins in their last six appearances. Their recent trek to the University of Providence in Montana included three victories in four games, but took a toll on the 'Birds who battled lengthy travel and injuries which meant many players were forced to play unfamiliar positions.
"We used every opportunity possible to bond and become closer together, and last weekend we had to dig deep and use out full bench," explained first-year head coach Jennifer McKellar. "We ran into some injuries which meant that a lot of our players are playing their second, third or even fourth positions. But despite that, everybody is continuing to put the team first."
On Saturday afternoon, the 'Birds avenged a tough morning 5-4 loss with an impressive 8-1 victory over the Providence Argos.
Shae Sever put forth another strong performance on the mound, striking out eight in six-and-two-thirds innings while adding a pair of hits.
Kaitlyn Kim, and
Shelby Kempel added two hits apiece for a UBC squad that is continuing to build an identity as a young, scrappy team that is not afraid of the big moment.
McKellar adds, "We're still figuring out who we are, and who we are going to be. We've been strong in pressure moments and we're definitely a team that can bounce back from adversity. But they're still learning how to compete in every moment, with a lead, without a lead, and against any caliber of opponent."
This weekend the 'Birds will face one of their stiffest tests to date when they battle a Southern Oregon squad that has won seven straight and are 8-1 in conference play. During their winning streak, they've outscored their opposition 72-9.
"Southern Oregon will be the hardest team we've faced to this point," acknowledged McKellar. "They've just moved up four spots in the national rankings. They've got great pitching. But the pressure is mostly on them. We want to show that we can compete and put our best foot forward and find a way to take what we can from them."
The four games this weekend between UBC and Southern Oregon at. Collings Field are scheduled as follows:
Southern Oregon vs. UBC – March 24
th (1:30 pm)
Southern Oregon vs. UBC – March 24
th (3:30 pm)
Southern Oregon vs. UBC – March 25
th (11:00 am)
Southern Oregon vs. UBC – March 25
th (1:00 pm) – non conference
