SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – The University of British Columbia swept Saturday's non-conference doubleheader, defeating Bushnell University, 9-2 and 6-5, at the Hamlin Sports Complex.
 
Trent Lenihan recorded three hits in each game to lead UBC, finishing 6-for-10 on the day. The Thunderbirds, who are receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Poll, improve to 11-4 on the year, while the Beacons drop to 6-7.
 
Jordan Wilson, who recorded a pair of hits in each game for the Beacons, said, "It was fun to go out an compete against another good team this weekend. Not the results we were looking for but we will continue to stick to our process and learn from these games moving forward."
 
Game 1: British Columbia 9, Bushnell 2
 
Bushnell trailed by just one run entering the top of the eighth before UBC put up a six-run frame. Kaden Zarowny capped off the scoring with a three-run homer down the left field line to bring the final score to 9-2.
 
Wilson hit a solo home run to make it a 1-1 game in the fourth and Brendan Frazier brought in the second with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. The Thunderbirds followed with the six-run eighth.
 
Nate Rasmussen got the start, throwing five strong innings for the Beacons, giving up one run on two hits. Wilson and Cade Crist finished with two hits apiece.         
 
Ryan Beitel pitched six innings for the Thunderbirds, striking out seven. He allowed one run on four hits before Vicarte Domingo threw three innings in relief to record a save. Domingo gave up one run on three hits with four strikeouts.
 
Game 2: British Columbia 6, Bushnell 5
 
Bushnell struck first on an RBI-single from Ethan Stacy in the second inning. British Columbia tied it up in the fifth, but Crist put the Beacons back on top in the bottom half, crushing a solo home run over the left field fence. Wilson doubled over the left fielder's head and Albert Jennings brought him home with a single in the following at-bat to put the Beacons up 3-1.
 
The Thunderbirds scored four runs through the next two innings to take a 5-3 lead but it wouldn't last long as Isaiah Hart doubled down the right field line to tie the game at 5-5 in the seventh.
 
Kyle Yip hit a leadoff homer in the eighth to break the 5-5 tie and give the Thunderbirds a 6-5 advantage with two frames to go. 
 
UBC barely hung on as the Beacons made it an exciting bottom of the ninth. Albert Jennings hit a single to first base, beating out the defense to get a runner on with one out. Noah Montoya, who pinch ran for Jennings, then beat out a throw to second on a fielder's choice. Hart reached first on the play.
 
Brandon Reed stepped up the plate with two outs and was hit by a pitch to load the bases before a force out at second in the following at-bat ended the game.
 
Kai Keamo got the start for Bushnell, throwing three shutout innings with five strikeouts. Jennings, Wilson and Hart each had a multi-hit game for the Beacons.
 
Up Next: Bushnell takes on the College of Idaho on March 2-3 for a four-game non-conference series.