LAKELAND, Fla. – The UBC Thunderbirds (40-16) were limited to just six hits as the No. 14 Southeastern (Fla.) Fire (42-16) scored nine times in the final four innings en route to a 12-3 victory, forcing the NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round bracket the distance with a final elimination game Thursday afternoon.
After another strong start, the No. 24 T-Birds surrendered three runs in the third, five in the sixth and another four in the eighth as the Lakeland bracket hosts bounced back strong from Tuesday night's loss to UBC. Now with both teams down to their last life in the double elimination tournament, the winner of Thursday's matchup will continue their season with a berth in the NAIA World Series while the loser will have their campaign come to an abrupt halt.
As they've done the entire tournament, the T-Birds had a positive opening inning Wednesday, scoring the game's first run thanks to some sloppy play by the hosts. Earning a leadoff walk, Matt Vanslyke made his way to second on a wild pitch and later crossed the plate on a fielding error before Fire starting pitcher Blake Albritton got Josh Cote to hit into an inning ending double play.
Another throwing error in the top of the second plated UBC's second run with Calvin Warrillow reaching home, both runs coming before the 'Birds managed their first hit of the game.
James Brock, meanwhile, struck out three batters in the first two innings in the senior's first start of the tournament.
The Fire took the lead in the third with a Cade Parry RBI single which plated Armani Cozza who had driven in Southeastern's first run of the contest with a double to left.
It remained a one-run game into the sixth when the Fire burst out for five runs and an 8-2 lead. Cort Pryor launched a three-run home run, chasing Brock off the mound with Daniel Orfaly coming out of the bullpen. Unfortunately for the 'Birds, Southeastern managed to load the bases with only one away. Orfaly got Cozza to strikeout, but a Jace Essig base hit scored two more before Parry flied out to end the frame.
Albritton exited after seven complete innings having allowed just four UBC hits and two runs, neither of them earned.
Hayden Givens-Craig pitched the eighth for Southeastern and didn't allow a hit, walking Kyle Yip but striking out three to keep the hosts comfortably in front.
The Fire took a double digit lead in the eighth thanks to a two-RBI Nathanial Hopkins double and an Essig base hit, the right fielder later scoring himself on a wild pitch.
UBC refused to go quietly despite the ten run deficit, loading the bases in the top of the ninth. With two down, David Krahn singled to left scoring Warrillow but no more as Dayne Wimberly quickly got the ball back to the infield. UBC's rally ended with just the single run as Aron Harrington forced Kenny Scott into a ground out to end the game and force Thursday's do-or-die rubber match.
UBC's first loss of the Opening Round tournament may not have been their prettiest, but the T-Birds allowed themselves the opportunity to still advance to the World Series thanks to their tremendous work over the first two days.
First pitch for Thursday's win or go home battle with the Fire is set for 9:00 a.m. PT. The game will be streamed live on the Urban Edge Network.