UBC lose 7-2 to Lewis-Clark State in regular season finale
Abbotsford Cardinals alum Mitchell Middlemiss (Chilliwack, B.C.) had three hits for UBC in their regular season-ending 7-2 loss to Lewis-Clark State on Sunday. Photo: Vamsi Nadella/UBC Athletics
April 21, 2024
By Ian French
UBC Communications
VANCOUVER, B.C – The UBC Thunderbirds (30-17, 15-9) came up short with a 7-2 loss in their final game of the CCC regular season against the No. 9 ranked Lewis-Clark State College Warriors (31-9,17-3) at Tourmaline West Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
After the home side earned a one-run lead in the fourth, the visitors responded emphatically with four runs in the fifth, which would eventually prove to be enough to earn the weekend series sweep and a twelfth straight victory for LC State.
"We saw three pitchers that had their best outings of the year, at just the right time, going into the playoffs," said UBC head coach Chris Pritchett. "Once the dust settles, we're going to realize we're in a better place than we were probably a week ago."
The day began with a celebration before first pitch, as players and family took to the field to recognize the lone T-Birds graduating senior Ardan Berg, with the pitcher from Victoria, B.C. concluding his final season with the program.
Flashes of stellar defence from both sides kept the score sheet clean in the first frame. While, in the top of the second, with two outs, the Warriors kept the inning alive with a single to centre field. The following batter smoked a comebacker to the pitcher for an infield single. Next up was Jack Sheward who, with two runners on and two strikes, blasted one to the gap in right field to open the game's scoring with an RBI double.
After a quiet third inning, UBC looked to answer back in the fourth. With two outs, and runners on first and second, Kellen Bourne stepped into the box and followed through on one, shooting the ball to right centre field, earning the game tying RBI. Next, with the corners hot, a wild pitch would provide enough time for the runner to bolt from third, arriving at home plate ahead of the tag, to give the 'Birds a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Warriors responded. After a bases loaded walk tied the game at two, a subsequent fielder's choice would result in the Warriors retaking the lead. Now, with two outs, the Warriors looked for more as Brandon Cabrera singled to centre field, scoring runners from second and third, increasing their lead to 5-2 by the end of the stanza.
The 'Birds continued to battle with their bats, earning baserunners throughout the later innings but couldn't get them to home plate. The Warriors went on to add two more insurance runs, one in each of the sixth and seventh, before ending the weekend with the 7-2 win and the series sweep.
"Every time something like this happens, we get to see a good team and where we're lacking, it really gives us something to focus on during the week of practice," added Pritchett. "We're a good team, but we have to be a little bit sharper if we're going to beat a team like LC and we know that's the goal. That's the gold standard and we can do it."
Coming into the weekend, the UBC Thunderbirds (30-17, 15-9) held a perfect record at Tourmaline West, however after dropping this series, that record falls to 10-4.
The team will have next weekend off as it is their scheduled bye week, before ramping up the following week for the Cascade Conference Championship playoffs. Seeding is still up for grabs, so the T-Birds next opponent is still to be determined when the tournament is scheduled to get going, beginning Saturday, May, 4 through Monday, May, 6.