MESA, Ariz. – The UBC Thunderbirds saw their California Pacific Conference Championship run come to an end with a 16-3 loss to the No. 1-seeded Antelope Valley (Calif.) Pioneers in the tournament final Tuesday afternoon at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz.
Despite the loss, the T-Birds have clinched a berth in next week's NAIA national championship opening round and await word on which bracket they will be seeded in.
The T-Birds held the 17th-ranked Pioneers to a single run through two innings only to see Antelope Valley explode for six runs in the third to jump out to the 7-0 lead.
With the bases loaded and none out, UBC starter Finnegan Duffield was replaced by Adam McKillican. But the sophomore's first batter, Mitchell Cox, hit a two-RBI single. A Breyer Gayle double scored Cox and a Cory McKendrick single to centre plated two more. McKendrick later scored himself on a Jake Harrison base hit before the 'Birds got out of the inning.
UBC had a big inning of their own in the fifth scoring three times, all with two down. Anthony Cusati hammered a double to deep left-center scoring a pair. Mitch Robinson then hit an RBI single to cut the deficit to four runs.
In the bottom half, the Pioneers were threatening with the bases loaded and only one out, but Jack Caswell got Tyler Pittmon to ground out into an inning-ending double play.
Unfortunately for the 'Birds they were unable to stay within striking distance for much longer. Antelope Valley put up seven runs in the sixth with 12 batters going to the plate to go ahead 15-3 while cruising to the eventual victory.