May 4, 2024

By Jeff Sargeant

UBC Communications

LEWISTON, Idaho – The UBC Thunderbirds held off a ninth inning rally by the Oregon Tech Owls to hang on for a 9-8 win in their opening game of the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament Saturday afternoon in Lewiston, Idaho.

Holding a 9-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, the T-Birds bent but didn't break, allowing the Owls to score three runs before relief pitcher Vicarte Domingo got his final batter to ground out, ending the game and moving UBC within a win of Monday's conference championship final.

It wasn't the smoothest of starts for the third seeded T-Birds who faced a 3-0 deficit through three innings. The Owls plated two in the bottom of the first, including an RBI double from CCC Player of the Year Tyler Horner.

Horner struck again in the bottom of the third with a solo home run to add to the Owls' early advantage. But UBC ace Sean Heppner didn't allow another run in what was yet another strong outing, going five innings, striking out seven and allowing just five total hits.

The tide turned strongly in the 'Birds' favour in the top of the fourth, kickstarted by an OIT fielding error.

Trent Lenihan managed to get on base on a strike three wild pitch and eventually got to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Two batters later, Mitchell Middlemiss made the Owls pay with an RBI single to get the 'Birds on the board.

With the bases loaded and none out, Jaden Lamothe hammered a two-run double to left, tying the game. UBC then took their first lead of the afternoon when David Draayers scored on a fielder's choice.

Lamothe earned his third RBI of the game in the sixth, scoring Middlemiss to give UBC a 5-3 lead.

The 'Birds got an even bigger cushion – one that proved critical later on – in the seventh, when Jonny McGill launched a three run homer over the right field wall.

Oregon Tech cut UBC's lead to 8-5 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eight before reliever Will Anderson forced Matthew Ortiz to ground out, ending the inning.

A Lenihan sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth scored Kaden Zarowny for UBC's ninth run, which at the time seemed relatively inconsequential, only to eventually stand up as the difference maker.

Down by four and with two on and none out in the bottom of the ninth, the Owls began their late rally with a Patrick Barry RBI double. Jones, having reached on a walk earlier in the inning, scored on a wild pitch to make it a two-run game, still with zero outs.

Evan Hoegler got Ka'ala Tam to fly out and was then relieved by Domingo who inherited a runner on second. Domingo struck out his first batter, bringing the Owls to their final out. First baseman Kyle Norton doubled, driving home Barry from second to make it a one run game. But Domingo ended Oregon Tech's hopes, getting Kellen Mendez to ground out as UBC remains in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

UBC will now get a chance to catch their collective breath before facing Bushnell University on Sunday after the Beacons earned a 13-5 win over the host Lewis-Clark State Warriors in Saturday's late game. The Owls will now face the Warriors Sunday afternoon in the first elimination game of the weekend.

A win for the T-Birds Sunday would clinch a berth for UBC in Monday's championship final while bringing them one step closer to a fifth straight appearance in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.

First pitch between UBC and the Beacons is set for 11:00 a.m.