VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds bounced back with a pair of victories Monday to earn the series split with the visiting Oregon Tech Hustlin' Owls at Tourmaline West Stadium.
Ryan Beitel pitched a complete game shutout in the first game of Monday's double dip while Cam Sanderson hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth in game two as the T-Birds closed out their home opening series on a high note.
"There was a different compete level with our team, we were not going to be satisfied with anything else," said UBC head coach
Chris Pritchett following the impressive bounce back response after a pair of losses Sunday. "We have a good ball club but if we don't play at that level, or at least compete at that level, we can be beat by anybody. So I think that was a learning experience and hopefully we'll use that to go forward."
GAME ONE
In a stark reversal from Sunday's opening day, the T-Birds (11-9) were superb in game one Monday both at the plate and in the field. Invoking the mercy rule with a 10-0 lead through six and a half innings, UBC saw what was perhaps Beitel's most impressive performance of his Thunderbird career as the sophomore pitcher went the complete seven innings allowing just four hits, striking out three, and walking just a single batter.
Retiring six of his first seven batters he faced, Beitel also got terrific run support as the T-Birds opened up a 4-0 lead through two innings.
Russell Young – who finished the game 3-for-4 – added to the UBC lead with an RBI double in the fourth.
Mike Fitzsimmons plated two more with his first of two hits in the game and
Trent Lenihan also hit a two RBI single as the 'Birds put together a five run inning to take a 9-0 lead.
Scoring another run on an OIT fielding error in the sixth, the T-Birds ended the game early with the ten run advantage as Beitel had another three-up, three-down inning in the seventh, cruising to his first win of the season.
"That was the best rhythm I've seen all year," said Pritchett of Beitel's outing. "He was just attacking the strike zone and we needed it, we needed someone to step up. They can really hit and he shut them completely down and gave us a chance. The offence responded and I think they all fed off of him. He set the tone for the whole day so that was huge."
GAME TWO
It wasn't as smooth a start for UBC in the series finale as the Owls (12-7) quickly staked out a 3-0 lead in the first half inning. Korrey Siracusa hit a lead off single and three batters later was brought home on a Julien Jones single. Brodie Marino hit a two out, two RBI double before
Cole Alguire got Ian Peters to strike out, ending the inning without any more damage.
Jonny McGill earned the 'Birds' first hit with a double to deep left-centre in the bottom of the second.
Brandon Hupe was next up to bat and with a full count singled to left to bring McGill across and get UBC on the board. Hupe advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a Cam Sanderson single up the middle to get the 'Birds within one.
Still 3-2 Owls in the fifth, the T-Birds got runners on the corners with one out after
Noah Or snuck liner past third. That saw the end of the day for OIT starting pitcher Brendan Talonen with Ryan Poling entering from the pen.
Mike Fitzsimmons promptly picked up the game-tying RBI on a fielder's choice play that plated Sanderson.
Daniel Orfaly was sent to the mound for the top of the fifth and saw his biggest challenge two innings later when the Owls threatened with two runners in scoring position and two outs. But Orfaly got Ka'ala Tam swinging, one of his five strikeouts, to end the threat.
The 'Birds found themselves in another jam in the top of the eighth, again with two runners on, but
Brendan Logan, fresh out the bullpen, sat down Siracusa to keep the game tied.
Still 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth,
Brandon Hupe hit a leadoff double and advanced to third on a fielder's choice which then brought Sanderson to the plate. The sophomore infielder slipped a base hit past first for the walk-off as the 'Birds salvaged the weekend split after a less than ideal Saturday doubleheader.
"There was a lot of big pitches, it wasn't just Ryan today, Orfaly with some huge pitches with runners in scoring position, Logan coming in with first and third in the eighth and getting a strike out and their leadoff hitter's been a tough out all weekend. All across the board we pitched well today."
UBC now prepares for back-to-back weekend road trips before returning home March 24 when they'll host the Lewis-Clark State Warriors for their first Cascade Collegiate Conference regular season home series. The T-Birds are at Corban University next weekend followed by a visit to the College of Idaho.
