VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds split a pair of games on Wednesday to kick off their four-day appearance in the Tucson Invitational Games. The games act as a kind of three-week “spring training” for collegiate softball teams, allowing UBC to play against an array of competition in short order.
The Thunderbirds came out a bit flat in their first game, losing 5-2 to Lubbock Christian University, the No. 2 in the NAIA. UBC fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and 5-0 by the second, rendering them unable to stage the comeback.
In the sixth inning, UBC would score a pair of runs when
Cassandra Dypchey (Surrey, BC) singled through the middle. It was too little, too late, though, and the game ended 5-2.
Despite the early struggles,
Leigh Della Siega (White Rock, BC) helped save the team's pitchers for the rest of the weekend by going the distance. She allowed five runs but only two were earned, coming off eight hits and four walks. She also struck out six as her record fell to 3-6 on the year.
The T-Birds managed just five hits, with
Brittany Meyer (Delta, BC) being the only player to record a pair.
While the bats didn't wake up a great deal in the second game, the pitching and defence carried the day as UBC shut out Missouri Valley College 3-0.
Nicole Day (Surrey, BC) recorded a complete game shutout, her second of the season and her third complete game in total. She struck out seven batters and allowed just seven baserunners, finishing her seven innings of work by facing only six batters more than the minimum.
UBC took an early lead in the first inning when
Alana Westerhof (Delta, BC) singled home
Carlyn Shimizu (Richmond, BC). Westerhof would later single home
Brittany Meyer (Delta, BC) and Dypchey, giving her three RBI on the day. Westerhof now has 33 RBI.
Both games were played under difficult conditions, with the Arizona sun getting hotter and hotter as the day progressed. The Thunderbirds (11-12) need to get used to it quickly, though, as they play eight more games from Thursday to Saturday. UBC's first of three games on Thursday will take place against Baker University of Baldwin City, Kansas.
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