April 7, 2024

By Ian Franch

UBC Communications

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds (26-13, 11-5) stayed perfect at home with Sunday's doubleheader sweep against the Bushnell University Beacons (19-18, 6-6).

Now sporting a stunning 12-0 record at Tourmaline West Stadium, the 'Birds earned the pair of victories by the way of a dramatic walk-off home run in extras to take game one 6-4, and followed that with a wild 15-9 victory to round out the day.

"I like playing in front of our home fans, plus we're at home sleeping in our own beds," said UBC head coach Chris Pritchett, on his team's remarkable play at Point Grey. "I just think there's a confidence when you're at home, that we definitely need to learn from and take it with us on the road, that's where we're really going to have to win games."

Top performers were UBC's Mitchell Middlemiss, who finished the back-to-back with 11 total bases and five RBIs on four hits – one of which was the walk-off home run in the 10th inning of game one. Jonny McGill stepped up for the 'Birds in game two, going a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with four RBIs, including a go-ahead three run homer.

Game 1:

Both teams started the day with hot bats as the game was tied at two a piece going into the third. Solid play in the field would keep the game's scoring at bay for the next few innings. A prime example of the defensive display came in the top of the fourth. Bushnell sent a leadoff shot into deep left centre field, which looked sure to drop, before Middlemiss came flying out of nowhere to pull it in for the Superman-style out.

The stellar defence continued, with UBC ending both the fifth and sixth frame on pristine double plays, setting up a big bottom of the sixth. It began with a walk and then a single for the home side, before a throwing error cashed in a run. David Draayers was next up and singled through the right side to score the second and final run of the innings for the 'Birds, giving them a 4-2 lead.

The Beacons responded with a two-RBI double in the seventh to tie the game, before Vicarte Domingo took to the mound for the 'Birds in the eighth and settled down the burgeoning Bushnell offence by striking out the side.

The ninth produced nothing for either side, taking the game to extra innings.

Still on the bump for UBC, Domingo hurled a pitch that was sent right back at him. As the T-Birds' reliever hit the deck, his body went to the ground while his glove shot up in the air, snagging the ball on a hop. He recovered and tossed it to first for the ground out – which garnered an eruption from the crowd in response. This was followed up with a wicked throw from T-Birds' catcher Russell Young to gun down a runner trying to steal second. Domingo then delivered yet again, ending the frame with another punchout.

The confidence from the field carried over to the bats as, in the bottom of the 10th with a runner on, Middlemiss stepped into box. The outfielder, who had hit a 10th-inning walk-off homer against Corban two weeks prior, smashed another one out of the park, shooting it deep over the left field wall for another walk-off, giving the 'Birds a 6-4 victory.

"This is a team that I think has not even come close to peak yet. And that's our goal, to get as good as we can and see what happens," said Pritchett. "I like this group, we have a lot of upside. We're just going to keep pushing until we make them realize how good they can be."

Game 2:

Following the theatrical finish to the earlier matchup, Bushnell started this one with a vengeance. They quickly put up two runs on the board in the top of the first, only for the 'Birds to fight back with three of their own to end the opening frame.

With some timely hitting, the blue and gold ballooned their lead to 5-2 to end the third, but the Beacons responded by chipping away over the next two innings to tie the game back up.

After the 'Birds re-established their lead with a sac fly RBI in the fifth, the top of the sixth saw yet another response from the Beacons. Following a pair of unearned runs crossing the plate to hand a 7-6 lead to the visitors, Kyle Casperson knocked a single into left to extend their lead to two.

The see-saw battle continued as the Birds 'looked to flip the score once again in the bottom of the frame. After a wild pitch cut the deficit to one, McGill stepped up and smacked one deep to right centre for a three-run homer, giving his squad the 10-7 lead. But the 'Birds weren't done there as, following a score on a fielder's choice, Kyle Anderson came in to pinch hit and blasted another bomb to right, extending the T-Bird advantage to 13-8.

The Beacons fought hard, even loading the bases in the seventh, but couldn't overcome the double-digit score for the home side. The 'Birds would eventually walk away with the 15-9 victory.

"I thought we did a good job today. Every time they spoke, we answered", said Pritchett. "We take pride in the fact you have to beat us, we don't want to beat ourselves."

As the team approaches their final two matchups of the season, the Thunderbirds will be tested with some tough competition ahead of the conference playoff tournament. Next week they will travel to Caldwell to face off against the College of Idaho Yotes, before returning to Tourmaline West Stadium for the season's final, heavily anticipated matchup with the NAIA No.7-ranked Lewis-Clarke State College Warriors (23-9, 13-3).