May 15, 2023

‘Birds Earn a Thrilling Walk-Off Victory to Kick Off NAIA opening round

By Dan O’Connor

UBC Thunderbirds Communications

VANCOUVER – The grit, resilience and depth that has characterized the UBC season to date was on full display during Day 1 of the NAIA Opening Round playoffs. The UBC Thunderbirds (35-19) completed a thrilling 11-10 come-from-behind walk-off victory over the Antelope Valley Pioneers (30-15) Monday afternoon in Westmont, Calif.

Birds outfielder Jonny McGill completed his four-hit day with a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 12th to give UBC a 1-0 start to the NAIA Baseball Championship opening round tournament.

McGill’s blast was one of four homers hit by the ‘Birds in a game that lasted four hours and 35 minutes and included a 25-minute fog delay after the third inning. Trent Lenihan added three hits and a team-leading five RBIs.

“I was trying to put a good swing on the ball,” said the elated outfielder moments after the dramatic walk-off win. “It was a long game but obviously a great team win.”

The teams combined for 30 hits while seven different pitchers took the mound combined. Vicarte Domingo earned the win for UBC as he threw three scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. Danny Sullivan was the pitcher of record for the Pioneers who gave up two earned runs over the course of a six-inning effort.

With the score tied 1-1, UBC took a sizeable 6-1 lead thanks to a five-run effort in their half of the third. The rally started when McGill grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Luciano Letteri. Then with two outs, the ‘Birds put together a string of four straight hits to score four additional runs.

Lenihan drove in a pair with a double and then the next batter up was Noah Or who mashed a two-run home run to make it a 6-1 advantage for UBC.

Following the fog delay, the Pioneers kicked off their comeback bid with a single run in the fourth from an RBI single from Alec White. UBC starter Ryan Beitel was lifted from the game after the fourth, having allowed four earned runs on six hits, four walks, and he struck out five.

One inning later in came Brett Corbeth to pitch for UBC, and he was rudely greeted by a two-run double from Raul Sandoval that moved the visitors within a pair, as the score was 6-4 through five.

Kyle Anderson got one run back for UBC in the bottom of the fifth with a one out solo shot, but the AVU bats came alive in a big way in the sixth in an inning that would result in six runs, off three hits, one error and 11 total batters. Noah. Blythe started the onslaught with a one-out RBI triple and then scored a run himself after three straight walks from Brett Corbeth.

Charles Morgan then stepped in and delivered a clutch three-run RBI double that made it a 9-7 game. One batter later Jose Parreno drove in Morgan with a bunt single, and that signaled the end of Corbeth’s day in favour of Daniel Sereda.

Down 10-7 heading into their half of the sixth, the ‘Birds chipped away at their deficit. Facing pitcher Josiah Nickel, Lenihan stepped up with one on and one out, and mashed a deep home run to left centre, creating a 10-9 deficit with plenty of roadway left.

After a walk to Or, Danny Sullivan entered the game for AVU and managed to escape the inning without any further damage.

Sereda sat down nine of the next 10 Pioneer hitters over the span of three full innings for UBC, and after a scoreless seventh inning, UBC was able to manufacture a tying run in the eighth thanks to a one-out, bases loaded fly ball from pinch-hitter David Draayers.

The stellar pitching continued into extra innings as Sullivan continued to mow down UBC hitters for the visitors while star reliever Domingo entered the game in the 10th for UBC, and recorded seven of his nine total outs via the strikeout. He did walk three hitters in that span, but neither team was able to generate offense in the 10th, 11th or the 12th.

On the 85th pitch of his afternoon, Sullivan left one in a sweet spot for McGill, and the UBC outfielder made him pay. The left-handed outfielder hit a deep drive to right centre that sailed over the wall, giving UBC the win, and the right to battle the #1 seed from Westmont Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. PT.

Next Game:

At Westmont College (Calif.)

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