VANCOUVER – It was a pitcher’s duel for nearly eight innings at Thunderbird Park between the UBC Thunderbirds and the Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) Warriors in the NAIA West Grouping Championships, presented by U.S. Bank. In the bottom of the eighth inning, a soft infield single started a three-run rally for the Warriors, which was more than enough offence in their 3-0 win over the Thunderbirds.
For a time, it seemed like neither team would find a way onto the score sheet. Both LCSC’s starting pitcher Quin Grogan and his UBC counterpart Curtis Taylor were dealing. Grogan went 7.2 innings and gave up only three hits, while Taylor pitched six innings, striking out 10, and walking none. Neither starter would get a decision on this day.
In the bottom of the eighth, the wheels came off for the Thunderbirds. Reliever Christian Botnick, who had come on to spell Taylor, gave up a slippery single to Chase Hafer. Hafer’s soft pop up found the turf and rolled to a stop between the pitcher’s mound and second base. A perfectly placed sacrifice bunt by Cooper Goldby sent Hafer to second, who then advanced to third when Botnick’s pick off attempt sailed into center field. The next batter Logan Griffin drilled a high fly ball into right field, which Bruce Yari got a bad jump on. The ball ended up rolling to the right field fence for a RBI double. Griffin ultimately scored on a passed ball. The inning was capped off by a Jacob Zanon solo bomb that landed in the bushes behind the left field fence at Thunderbird Park.
Yari singled to start the ninth for UBC, but was put out at second when Lucas Soper hit into a fielder’s choice. The game ended when Anthony Cusati grounded into a double play for UBC.
Botnick took the loss, while Noel Gonzalez who came on in relief for LCSC parlayed his 1.1 innings of work into a huge win for the Warriors.
Griffin and Zanon both went 2-for-4 at the plate.
The loss was UBC’s first of the tournament and means they will play again Sunday at noon. LC State is undefeated through two days of play and takes the field again Sunday at 3 p.m. for the final. A second championship game will be played Monday, if necessary.
The NAIA West Grouping Championship, presented by US Bank, goes all weekend at Thunderbird Park.