With just three weeks remaining in the regular season, the UBC Thunderbirds (25-12, 20-5) find themselves in the midst of a heated three-way battle for first in the Cascade Collegiate Conference as they prepare to host the Bushnell Beacons (29-9, 19-6) for a critical four-game series starting Saturday, April 12 at Tourmaline West Stadium.

Both the 'Birds and Beacons have clinched berths in the upcoming conference championship, but this weekend's results could go a long way to determining if either have a realistic shot at hosting the five-team tournament the first weekend of May. With 12 conference games remaining, the T-Birds sit tied with the Lewis-Clark State Warriors atop the CCC standings, the Beacons just one game back.

"I think even our coaching staff felt it last weekend too and I think our players started to feel it after we got going," said UBC head coach, Chris Pritchett. "We know that we are in a position we need to continue to get better and get to a point where we can make a run at this thing. But (Bushnell) has a better record than us, they come in with a team that beat us in the playoffs last year and just keeps getting better, so this should be a really good series. We're looking forward to it but it's definitely time to think about everybody being on board with the sole purpose of winning games. Personal stats have to be thrown out the window, it's definitely time."



The 'Birds hit a bit of a speedbump last weekend, splitting their four-game set with the College of Idaho Yotes, erasing their lead atop the standings. Incidentally, the Beacons also split their previous series with Corban while LC State swept Warner Pacific, setting the stage for what should be a fight to the finish for the regular season title. It all boils down to both teams taking the field at Tourmaline West Saturday knowing full well they have very little – if any – room for error.

"It's definitely that time of year where all the things we've been working on need to start showing up," Pritchett continued. "Things we can handle in pressure situations; we'll continue to practice with that in mind and take the field. I think the guys understand, the veteran players are definitely wanting this to be a special season and it's time to do it."

Sunday afternoon's doubleheader will be broken up by a ceremony to honour the T-Birds' largest graduating senior class in recent memory. 13 total players are set to take the field in their final regular season home series this weekend including some of the most impactful pieces over the last several years in the likes of Trent Lenihan, Mitchell Middlemiss, Aaron Marsh and Jonny McGill.



"Some of these guys have been here for five years, we've been through a pandemic together, it's going to be very emotional. For me, I just hope they use that to lay everything out there and not let it be a distraction. I'm looking forward to it, it'll be bittersweet for sure but it should be a fun weekend."

First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader with the Beacons is set for 1:00 p.m. at Tourmaline West Stadium with Sunday's double dip beginning at 11:00 a.m. Admission, as always, is free of charge, and the entire series will also be streamed live.