VANCOUVER, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds (13-14, 8-10) were in tough Friday afternoon against the top-ranked Southern Oregon Raiders (36-4, 18-2), and were unable to get going offensively in a pair of home losses.

"We didn't play up to our own standards today," said Thunderbirds head coach Jennifer McKellar. "However, there were good moments against a very good team…we're going to lean onto the things that went well today, improve on the things that didn't, and take another crack at them tomorrow."

One of those highlights was the play of first-year pitcher Mary Jane Mitchison, who threw three innings in relief over the two games combined after only facing three batters all season prior to today's doubleheader. The Vancouver native allowed just two hits and no runs against as she closed out both of the games.



At the plate, Keona Nordquist recorded four of her team's nine hits on the day from the leadoff position, while Catrina Hedin made the most of her opportunity, bringing home a run in the second game with her second RBI – and second extra-base hit – of the season.
 

GAME ONE

Southern Oregon got the scoring going early, loading the bases with two outs in the top of the first. A hard hit straight up the middle from Sammie Pemberton then brought home the first two runs of the day.

The game settled into a defensive battle from there, with the T-Birds turning two double plays – one in the second and one in the fourth.

First, it was Madison MacGillivray who showcased her speed as she caught a flyball in left-centre that the Raiders' baserunner at second thought it would be a hit, and was thus easily thrown out. Then, after the Raiders loaded the bases in the fourth, Kaitlyn Kim caught a bullet of a line drive and flipped it to first for the tag.

Unfortunately for the T-Birds, while the two teams recorded the same number of hits in the game (five) it was the visitors who doubled their lead in the top of the sixth off a two-run single from Hailey Seva. Raiders' ace Ayla Davies pitched a complete game shutout.


 
GAME TWO

The road team again opened the scoring in the first, with Sarah Kerling capitalizing on a fielding error to scamper home from third base. The floodgates then opened in the second as the Raiders scored six more runs to take a commanding lead, with five different players recording an RBI.

The Thunderbirds did manage to shut the door from there as Shae Sever was lights out in relief, not allowing a single hit in 3.2 innings while recording five strikeouts, followed by Mitchison's strong close. The lone run of the day for the T-Birds came in the bottom of the fifth, when Hedin hit a double right down the left field line that scored Zoë Willington.

With another doubleheader against the Raiders tomorrow, McKellar hopes to be the team that gets on the front foot early to close out the series.

"We want to use our grit and our fire a little bit more to put the pressure on them early in the game," she remarked. "That's when we do well is when we're putting pressure on our opponents."

Saturday's games begin at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. (PT) on Collings Field at Nobel Park.