UBC Week 12: Bradwell, Caine, Dray, Hawkins, Or

UBC head coach Chris Pritchett. Photo: Rich Lam.

UBC Wrap Weekly Update Weeek XII

Results:

NAIA World Series Opening Round

Win 7-5 Huntington (NAIA)

Loss 4-1 No. 1 Southeastern (NAIA)

Loss 8-0 NO. 12 Middle Georgia (NAIA)

Overall Record: 30-21 Conference Record: 22-9

Top Pitchers:

Fr Garrett Hawkins 5 Inn, 3 Hits, 4 Runs, 1 Earned, 2 BB, 7 Ks

Jr Niall Windeler 8 Inn, 7 Hits, 4 Runs, 4 Earned, 2 BB, 4 Ks

Jr James Bradwell 5.2 Inn, 6 Hits, 5 Runs, 5 Earned, 3 BB, 6 Ks (1 Win)

Jr Barry Caine 5 Inn, 3 Hits, 2 Runs, 1 Earned, 3 BB, 2 Ks

Top hitters

Fr Noah Or 3-12, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 BB

So Jordan Dray 3-11, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 HR

So Jaxon Valcke 3-11, 3 RBI, 1 BB

Coaches’ Comments:

The Thunderbirds campaign comes to an end in Macon, Ga. one step away from the NAIA World Series. UBC entered the Opening Round as the No. 5 seed in the five team tournament hosted by Middle Georgia State, and would draw Huntington University out of Indiana in Game 1. Freshman Garett Hawkins got the ball, but before he could toe the rubber fellow freshman Mike Fitzsimmons would break the scoring with a leadoff homerun to start the contest. After four innings, the Birds would find themselves with a 3-0 lead behind a strong start from Hawkins and 2 more solo homeruns (Noah Or, Jordan Dray). Huntington would erase the T-Bird lead getting to UBC in the fifth with four runs of their own. The Foresters would hold the 4-3 lead until the top of the seventh where the Birds would put up three in the inning to go up 6-4. Huntington did respond with one in the bottom half but that was as close as they would come as the Birds would add one more in a victorious first game. James Bradwell get the win in a relief effort while Barry Caine shut the door with 1 1/3 innings of work for the save. Jaxon Valcke had a productive 1-for- day adding three RBIs while Noah Or finished the game 3-for-5 and Jordan Dray, 2-for-5 from the dish.

With the win the Thunderbirds would take on the defending NAIA national champions, and current No. 1 ranked team in the nation, Southeastern (Florida). In the nightcap on the first day of competition UBC would send ace, Niall Windeler out to the mound. After two scoreless innings the Thunderbirds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the thhird, which would end up being the only offense they could muster in this one. The Fire responded in the fourth to tie the game and would add three more late in the 4-1 final. Windeler was strong, pitching all eight innings for the T-Birds as they would come up short and finish the day 1-for-1 in the double knockout tournament. Freshman Liam Vulcano was 2-for-3 for the Birds.

Game 3 was an elimination game against #12 ranked Middle Georgia State. Junior James Bradwell took to the hill for the Birds and was great for four innings, keeping the Knights hitless. The Birds offence was also hitless after four, before Middle Georgia would break the game open in the fifth with five runs. The Birds weren’t able to rebound back after the big inning and would end up losing 8-0 in what would be the final game of the season for UBC. Middle Georgia State would avenge their defeat from last year when UBC eliminated them in the Opening Round in Lancaster, CA.

An exciting season came to an end this past week as the Thunderbirds’ effort to make it to the World Series came up short. UBC ends the year with an overall record of 30-21 and will say goodbye to three seniors, all four-plus Thunderbirds: Pitcher Pat Van den Brink, Catcher Zach Prisciak, and Outfielder Lichel Hirakawa-Kao graduate from the program.

Looking ahead to next season, the Birds will return all but three graduating seniors, most of which will be sohpmores and juniors. The experience gained by the youthful T-Birds hope to serve them well moving forward as the next challenge will be in August as UBC will host the inaugural Collegiate Classic. A four team tournament including, Japanese Universities Keio and Tokyo along with NCAA D1 Sacramento State will begin Aug. 13th, 2019 in Vancouver.

UPCOMING:

Collegiate Classic

(Tourmaline West Stadium, UBC)

Aug 13-18, 2019 vs. University of Tokyo, Keio University, Sacramento State