HELENA, Mont. - The UBC Thunderbirds (15-12, 7-6) split an afternoon doubleheader with the Carroll College Fighting Saints (12-13-1, 7-6), falling 6-2 in the opener before picking up an 11-6 win in game two on Thursday afternoon at Centennial Park.
The T-Birds held the Fighting Saints to six runs twice on Thursday. The first six resulted in a loss, but the second six left their opponents well short of an 11-run outburst from the Thunderbirds, as the pair remain tied for fifth place in the Cascade Collegiate Conference standings.
Shortstop
Keona Nordquist sparked the offence for the 'Birds, reaching base more often than she was put out while hitting second in both games; also driving in three runs in the UBC win. Earning that win on the rubber was
Shae Sever, who struck out six Saints while also hitting .500 herself. The two-way star served as the T-Birds' designated player in the game she did not pitch.
GAME ONE
Carroll picked up an unconventional first run in the opener. After loading the bases, UBC walked in the game's first run. Carroll kept the pressure on with all three bases covered as Kenna Thomas (Belgrade, Mont. / JR) knocked a two-RBI single into the gap in right center, and the Saints would take a 3-0 lead into the third. Bookelynn Jackson (Keizer, Ore. / FR) picked up an RBI single in the third, extending the Carroll lead to 4-0.
Kennedy Venner (Billings, Mont. / SO) had another strong outing. The sophomore picked up four strikeouts, not allowing a run until the sixth inning. The Thunderbirds made things interesting in the sixth, scoring two to cut the lead in half, 4-2.
Kaitlyn Kim drove in
Caitlin Bradley-Tse before Sever knocked her home with an RBI single. However, Thomas came up clutch in the bottom half of the inning in response. She blasted a two-run shot over the right field fence to give Carroll a 6-2 lead that they wouldn't surrender.
GAME TWO
The UBC bats would come alive in the back-half of the doubleheader, as a five-run top of the third set the 'Birds up for success. Nordquist got the run started for UBC with a two-RBI double. A throwing error from deep center aided the Thunderbirds in scoring three more to jump way out in front. A sacrifice fly in the fourth extended the lead to six runs before Carroll could score.
Kati Slater (Yamhill, Ore. / SO) hit into a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fourth, scoring one to trim the lead to 6-1.
UBC batted around in the top half of the fifth, with a number of sharp liners up the middle of the field doing damage. In total, the Thunderbirds plated five runs in the frame, putting Carroll in danger of a run-rule loss as they trailed 11-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Carroll would not go down quietly, however, responding with four runs of their own to keep playing. Alyssa Lybbert (Las Vegas, Nev. / JR), Carlee Smith (Blackfoot, Idaho / FR), and Brooklyn Dryden (Deer Park, Wash. / FR) each drove in a run and Lane Bauer (Missoula, Mont. / SR) drew a bases-loaded walk to bring the tally to 11-5 entering the sixth.
Kenna Thomas continued her strong day, adding an RBI single in the sixth, but the Carroll comeback would fall short and UBC would take game two, 11-6.
The teams will hit the diamond again in the morning, with another doubleheader starting at 10:00 a.m. (PT) followed by a 12:00 p.m. (PT) final game of the series.