VANCOUVER – After a busy month of travel, the UBC Thunderbirds can (temporarily at least) unpack their bags as they get set for a Friday-Saturday four-game series at Collings Field at Nobel Park this weekend. After 11 straight games on the road, the blue and gold (8-5, 3-2) welcome the nationally ranked Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers to Point Grey for their home opener tomorrow afternoon in front of friends, family and alumni.
The past month of travel and games has been a positive for first-year head coach Jennifer McKellar and her young squad.
"We talk daily about growth and team cohesion," shared McKellar. "Our first trip to San Diego set the bar high. We've formed great off field connections that have translated into on-field success. We talk about energy, and being present for every pitch and every play and they've bought in and helped us establish a strong culture and work-ethic early on."
So far in conference play, UBC has formed a 3-2 record. In early March they took two of three games from Bushnell University, and yesterday they bounced back from a tough 13-8 loss with a 3-2 triumph over the Northwest University Eagles in the back-half of a double-header.
"All girls are finding ways to contribute and have met and embraced every challenge that they've faced so far," added McKellar who highlighted the clutch performances and leadership from
Caitlin Bradley-Tse,
Shae Sever,
Olivia Malesku and
Hanna Hansen who have all helped establish the 'can do' attitude that has been on full display so far this season for UBC.
With each passing game, Jennifer McKellar's team is starting to show an identity based on pitching, defense, grit and a plucky "find a way to win" mentality. McKellar adds, "Our identity is still a little bit TBD. Key performances on the mound have been big contributors to our success. Defensively and offensively we have this "find a way" mindset. What we lack in experience, we make up for with the belief that anybody is 'right for the job' at any given time."
This weekend will be a true test of that resolve as the 'Birds welcome the nationally ranked (#21) Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers. "They are the first ranked opponent that we'll have faced this season, and a series like this is coming at the right time for us," concluded McKellar. "They [EOU] have great hitters, great arms, and our job this weekend is to compete and believe that we have what it takes to hang with them. We're not going to make it easy for them. We just need to do our jobs. We don't mind a bit of an underdog mentality, but we don't need that title to do well. It'll be a good measuring stick to see where we're at."
The 'Birds and Mountaineers are scheduled to start their series tomorrow afternoon at 11:00 am, followed by a 1:00 pm rematch. The two teams then clash twice on Saturday at both 11:00 am and 1:00 pm (non conference).
*Note game times are subject to change.
