May 14, 2024

By Stu Walters

UBC Communications

LEWISTON, IDAHO – The No. 4 seed UBC Thunderbirds staved off elimination by edging the No. 5 seed Embry-Riddle Eagles 4-3 in game six of the Lewiston Bracket in the opening round of the 2024 NAIA Baseball Championship Tuesday evening.

With the win UBC advances to game seven on Wednesday where they'll meet No. 1 seed Lewis-Clark State at 2:30 p.m. PT. while Embry-Riddle is eliminated from play after suffering their second setback of the double-elimination tournament.

UBC combined for eight hits on the night while starter Ryan Beitel earned the victory with a solid 6 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and striking out four Eagles batters. Spencer Lanz took the loss for Embry-Riddle, lasting 4 1/3 innings while giving six hits and four runs.

UBC opened the scoring early in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a Trent Lenihan RBI triple to right centre that brought home Aaron Marsh. Designated hitter Jonny McGill then followed up with a ground out to first base to plate Lenihan and give the T-Birds a 2-0 advantage.

The Eagles responded in the top of the fourth on Luke Jesper's sacrifice fly to centre field which cashed in Drew Barragan while catcher Kevin Fedoruk evened the score at 2-2 on account of his single to right centre that scored Roberto Garza-Nunez.

It didn't take long for the T-Birds to reclaim their lead in their next time up at bat in the bottom of the fourth frame, as centre fielder Kaden Zarowny's sac fly to left field allowed Mitchell Middlemiss to cross home plate for UBC to go up 3-2.

UBC doubled their lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Middlemiss launched a sac fly to centre field to bring in Marsh, counting his second run of the contest.

The Eagles wouldn't go quietly as they made it a one run ball game in the top of the seventh inning when first baseman Javier Izaguirre Jr. sent a single up the middle to score Gavin Botts, pulling within a run to trail 4-3. Nerves were quickly quelled for the T-Birds as hurler Evan Hoegler shut the door the rest of the way to earn the save, finishing up with 2 1/3 innings of relief allowing no runs while tallying two strikeouts.

UBC will once again try and stave off elimination on Wednesday when they get right back at it in game seven of the bracket vs Lewis-Clarke State at 2:30 p.m.