VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds (14-8) rode some more solid pitching combined with hot bats to earn a Saturday doubleheader sweep over the College of Idaho Yotes at Tourmaline West Stadium.
Following on the heels of
Sean Heppner's record-setting performance on the mound in Friday night's series opener,
Ryan Beitel and
Ryan Heppner each went six innings deep Saturday while UBC amassed a combined 30 hits at the plate.
"Our lineup is probably as deep as we've had here for awhile," said UBC head coach
Chris Pritchett. "(Opposing pitchers) can't really just sneak by somebody, there were good at bats throughout and that really wears a pitcher out at times. I thought our two-strike hitting in the first game was as good as I've seen it, guys weren't trying to do too much. I think most of our hits were with two strikes. That's something we've emphasized and I'm really happy with the way things are going in that regard."
GAME ONE
The Thunderbirds wasted no time putting runs on the board in the first half of Saturday's doubleheader at a blustery and rainy Tourmaline West Stadium. The hosts scored five times in the first including a
Jonny McGill two-RBI single up the middle, one of five hits on the day for the Richmond, B.C. product.
Trent Lenihan drove in UBC's sixth run of the game in the bottom of the second.
"As much as we preach no out is more important than the other ones, I think it does help to get a little momentum early in the game," said Pritchett of the early accumulation of runs. "Especially with the way our guys are throwing the ball right now, there's a lot of confidence on the bench. And they were loose. I'd like to think it doesn't matter, but I think it's just human nature when you get out ahead you feel a little bit better about things."
Yotes starter Nate Vidlak held the 'Birds off the board in the next three innings but
David Draayers hit a two-RBI double in the sixth to make it 8-0 UBC and was sent home himself by
Jackson Boomer. Colby Durski took over in relief with two down and got his first batter to pop out, ending the inning.
College of Idaho broke the T-Birds' shutout in the top of the seventh when Austin Moon scored on a Chandler Stocking sac fly, but the visitors would fail to produce any further runs.
The 'Birds added another pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the 11-1 lead and invoke the mercy rule.
Beitel allowed no runs on just three Yotes hits while striking out three for his second win of the season.
Adam Khan closed things out pitching the final inning in a non-save situation.
"The first game Beitel was fantastic I thought," said Pritchett of the junior pitcher. "He had his breaking ball and fastball both working, he's getting a lot of movement on that thing and keeping them off balance."
GAME TWO
Saturday's second game was at complete odds with the first with only one combined run scored in the first four innings, courtesy of a
Jaden Lamothe RBI single in the second.
The Yotes tied things up 1-1 in the top of the fifth when freshman outfielder Jace Mahlke scored on a fielders' choice.
Kaden Zarowny scored the go-ahead run in the bottom half of the inning when he scored off a Lenihan single.
Zarowny drove in some insurance in the sixth with a two-RBI double while Lamothe opened up a 6-1 UBC lead plating two runners on a triple to deep centre.
The two teams traded runs in the eighth with
Vicarte Domingo earning the three-inning save for UBC allowing just one earned run with no hits along with five strikeouts.
Ryan Heppner picked up his team-leading fourth win of the season pitching six complete innings with one earned run and three hits, striking out four.
"We've got a lot of guys left to throw, we're used to using more guys by now so we're well rested in our bullpen for tomorrow so I like the way that sets up."
The series finale is set for 11:00 a.m. Sunday at Tourmaline West Stadium as the T-Birds go for the series sweep.
