PORTLAND, Ore.—The Concordia baseball team broke out of recent skid to top British Columbia 8-3 on Senior Day on Sunday.

Concordia (20-23, 12-16 NAIA West) got the win behind a five-run bottom of the seventh that turned a 3-2 deficit into a 7-3 lead for the Cavs.

Catcher Ben Talbot led off the seventh for the Cavs with a double down the left-field line, before Cameron Baker came into run for him. Baker then scored on a single through the left side from Sheldon Austria, one batter after Calvin Nagy reached on a hit-by-pitch. Baker’s run leveled the game at 3-3, but the Cavs weren’t done there. Mike Cero followed Austria’s hit with a walk to load the bases with still no outs in the inning. British Columbia (21-14, 14-10 NAIA West) got a force out at home on the next play, however, but then committed a costly error on the play after that.

Sean Myrom hit the ball that was misplayed, which should have been an RBI fielder’s choice that got Cero out at third and scored Austria. The throw to third went wide of the base though, allowing Cero to score on the play and moving Jared Young and Myrom to third and second, respectively. That then set up Carl Beckert for a sacrifice fly that scored Young for the Cavs’ fifth and final run of the seventh.

Concordia rode the wave of the seventh for another run in the eight too, as C.J. Watson hit a pinch-hit single to left that scored Blake Drake.

Earlier, British Columbia struck first with a three-run top of the second. Mike Hole walked to start the inning for UBC, then moved all the way to third on a hit-and-run play with Austin Fruson. The Cavs attempted to throw out Hole at third, since Fruson’s hit was only to shallow center, but Hole slid in safely and Fruson advanced to second on the play. Hole then scored on an RBI ground out from Brody Hawkins, while Fruson moved to third. CU pitcher Eric Weir struck out the next UBC batter, but then walked Ryan Taylor to put runners on the corners with two outs. UBC followed that with a well-executed double steal that scored Fruson and moved Taylor into scoring position. Taylor’s advance to second then set the stage for leadoff-hitter Sebastian Wong, who plated Taylor with a single to right-center field.

The Cavs’ Weir settled down after the second though, while his offense backed him up with two runs in the fourth. Myrom got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning for the Cavs, then came all the way around on a double down the right-field line from Jordan Keeker. The UBC right fielder attempted to throw out Keeker at second, but unluckily had the throw bounce off of Keeker’s helmet, allowing Myrom to score after he had stopped at third and for Keeker to advance an extra-base. Mike Dickman then took advantage of Keeker’s advance to third, sending a sacrifice fly that scored Keeker for the Cavs’ second run of the ball game.

The Cavs ran into trouble again defensively in the sixth, as UBC loaded the bases with two outs. However, Cole Shidaki came on in relief after that and induced an inning-ending ground out to get his team out of the jam.

Shidaki threw the final 3.1 innings for Concordia without giving up a single hit to the Thunderbirds. Shidaki picked up the win for his efforts, his first win this season.

On the flip side, UBC’s Connor Smith received the loss after giving up four runs (two earned) in two innings of relief.

Meanwhile, offensively, the Cavs’ outhit UBC 9-5 in the game, while Talbot, Austria and Cero accounted for six of the nine CU hits. Cero had the best statistical line perhaps, as he went 2-for-2 with two walks and a run scored after UBC had frustrated him through the first three games of the series.

For UBC, Wong and Jerod Bartnik each went 2-for-4 in the game, though Taylor had the most unique line, as he went 0-for-0 with four walks in four plate appearances and a run scored.

Concordia will next host Pacific for a single game Wednesday, April 18 at 3:30 p.m. The Cavs’ will then travel to Seattle University for two games over the weekend, before playing a doubleheader against Pacific on Tuesday, April 24 at 5 p.m.