EUGENE, Ore. – NCU split a Cascade Collegiate Conference double-header with The University of British Columbia on Saturday taking the opener 4-3 before dropping the nightcap 8-4.
The Beacons used the long ball in the first game, getting a pair of dingers to account for all four runs. NCU also set a new single-season record in the process when they hit their 28th of the year.
British Columbia took an early lead, scoring in the top of the first but the Beacons came back to tie the game in the second inning on a solo shot from
Kiara Vasquez, her fourth of the season.
NCU claimed a 4-1 advantage in the fourth inning when senior
Parker Fritter crushed a three-run shot to centerfield, scoring
Paige Griffith and
Ashlee Cole alongside herself.
UBC was able to put across two more runs in the fourth inning, but NCU was able to hold on for the victory.
Katie Walker had another strong performance toeing to slab for the Beacons, getting her second victory of the weekend as she went the distance, allowing just three runs on eight hits.
Lindsay Ogilvie (6-10) scattered five NCU hits in the loss, striking out two batters. No NCU hitter had more than one hit but Cole proved to be a familiar sight on the base paths as the CCC's leading home run hitter was walked three times.
Shayla Kaplen led the way for the T-birds, hitting 3-for-4 with three doubles, a run and two RBI.
British Columbia again drew first blood in the second contest, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. The Beacons were quick to respond once again with three runs in the bottom half to take a 3-2 lead.
The lead flipped again in the third inning when Hillary Strelau scored on a single by Kaplen and Paige Harbord came across the dish on a sacrifice fly by Shaelyn Ogilvie to give the visitors a 4-3 advantage.
It was in the bottom of the fourth that the Beacons tied up the game when a squeeze bunt from
Paige Griffith brought home Jess Garner, who had tripled.
The Thunderbirds quickly got the run back, however, scoring the defacto game-winner in the fifth inning as Kaplen once again scored on an RBI single by Shaelyn Ogilvie. UBC would tack on three more runs in the sixth, although just one run would be charged to relief pitcher
Madi Jones who allowed just two infield singles in the inning. The Beacons committed three of their five errors in the frame as Jones produced plenty of ground balls from the circle.
Janieve Boyles (3-9) took the loss for NCU, allowing four earned runs over five innings with six hits and two strikeouts. Zie Gillis (1-5) went the distance to collect her first win of the season for UBC, allowing four earned over seven and striking out four Beacon hitters.
Garner finished the game with a pair of hits for the Beacons, Boyles scored a pair of runs and Cole was walked two more times to successfully reach base in her tenth straight contest. She finishes her four-game stint against UBC this season hitting 5-for-12 with six RBI, five runs, five walks, a double and three home runs.
British Columbia (10-19, 8-12 CCC) was led in game two by Strelau, hitting 3-for-4.
Northwest Christian (13-27, 7-13) will return to the field on Friday as they travel to Ashland to take on Southern Oregon University. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm.
