VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds now have a firm two-handed grip on the steering wheel in their drive to host a playoff series, after taking three out of the four games against the College of Idaho this weekend at Thunderbird Park.
"We played better baseball, we played together," said UBC head coach Chris Pritchett after UBC's massive win in the nightcap of the double header. "We've put ourselves in position to control our own destiny. A few weeks ago I didn't know if we would be able to say that. So I'm really proud of where we're at right now, but we still have some work to do."
After sweeping the twin bill Saturday, the ‘Birds (34-17, 20-11 NAIA West) gritted out a tough split with the 'Yotes (31-18, 18-13 NAIA W) Sunday, which didn't see their bats come alive until midway through the second game.
The first seven innings of game one saw UBC follow their tested blueprint of success. Starting pitcher Jeremy Newton was unhittable, in fact he was throwing a no hitter through seven, and UBC's opportunistic offence capitalized on some College of Idaho errors to plate a couple runs.
UBC hit the scoreboard in the third when centre fielder Tyler Enns singled, stole second, then ultimately scored when Coyote starter Riley O'Brien's fired a pitch into the backstop.
The T-Birds doubled their lead in the fourth when Bruce Yari singled, made it to second on a passed ball, stole third, and then ran home when 'Yotes catcher Jake Bowman threw the ball into left field.
In the bottom of the seventh, John Whaley smoked a triple to right field, scoring Vinny Martin and UBC was up 3-0 and seemed to be in the clear.
But in was the top of the eighth when the wheels fell off for Newton. After getting the first two outs of the inning, College of Idaho strung together a six-hit, five-run rally highlighted by shortstop Hunter Hanson's two-run double. Tyler Gillies came in to spell Newton but couldn't completely stop the bleeding, as he gave up an RBI single to Dalton Ridgeway, making it 5-3 College of Idaho.
UBC went quietly in their halves of the eighth and ninth giving the Coyotes their first win of the series, setting up a must-win scenario for the 'Blue and Gold' in game two.
The 'Birds had about about 30 minutes to get over the loss, and get ready for game two.
"We didn't play a bad first game," said Enns. "It just came down to one inning, and things didn't go our way. They got some big hits but our goal was just to come out and play a good ball game and we did just that."
In the second game, UBC leaned on one of their aces Curtis Taylor. Taylor who had been battling back issues for the better part of April hadn't pitched in two weeks. If the towering right-hander was rusty, he did a good job of hiding it. Taylor looked dominant over his six innings of work, only allowing three hits, striking out five, and walking none.
"I felt good. The physio staff and trainers here are top notch," said Taylor. "They got me back in order and back on the mound today, so I can't say enough about them. Everything felt good all the way through the outing."
UBC gave Taylor some early run support in the third inning. Pritchett called for the squeeze play with catcher Mike Orosz on third and Anthony Olson delivered a perfect bunt between the pitcher's mound and the first base line. Yari then drove in Olson with a double to left field.
Taylor ran into some trouble in the fourth as the 'Yotes put runners on second and third with one out. But he made the next two batters pop out and wasn't challenged the rest of his afternoon.
Yari continued his torrid hitting in the fifth when he drilled another double to score Kyle McComb from first base. In the sixth, the 'Bird's bats exploded as doubles by Olson and pinch-hitter Griff Goyer brought in three more runs for UBC.
Brad Smith pitched the final three innings for UBC, giving up only one hit to seal the win.
"There is a natural human element of disappointment, being so close to winning the first game and having a chance to sweep and wrap this thing up," reasoned Pritchett. "As they prepared for the second game you couldn't tell. They shook it off, turned the page, and they were ready to play. I was proud of them."
The Thunderbirds still have work to do if they want to host the NAIA West Grouping Championship in early May. They will travel to Klamath Falls for back-to-back doubleheaders against Oregon Tech on April 30 and May 1.
"We feel great," exclaimed Enns. "We've got a big week of practice ahead of us and then we get on the bus for a long ride to Oregon, and do what can to get those wins."
The ‘Yotes will host the Simpson Red Hawks for four games in Caldwell next weekend to round out the regular season.