VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Great White North continues to be hostile territory for the Bushnell baseball team, who continue to look for their first-ever wins north of the border after conference-leading British Columbia swept a double-header from the Beacons in come-from-behind fashion on Saturday.
 
The top hitting team in the CCC (British Columbia) and the top pitching team in the CCC (Bushnell) faced off for the first time on Saturday, with the early advantage going to the Thunderbirds. The Beacons (29-11, 19-8 CCC) fall back to three-games out in the loss column behind both UBC and Lewis-Clark State with the losses, despite out-hitting the T-Birds on the day and holding leads in both contests, as the pitching staff struggled in both ends of the double-header.
 
British Columbia improved to 27-12 overall and 22-5 in conference.
 
GAME ONE: British Columbia 10, Bushnell 9
 
The Beacons scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to take a 9-8 lead, but it wouldn't be enough as the T-Birds rallied with two in the bottom of the ninth to steal the victory.
 
Bushnell pounded out 17 hits in the game, including 15 singles. After trailing 6-2 in the middle innings, the Beacons rallied with a four-run seventh and then took the lead with a three-run eighth inning.
 
With Bushnell in control, Jacob Courtney came in to strike out the side in the eighth inning, putting the Beacons within three outs of the victory. Courtney was lifted for Alec Gums (2-2), who proceeded to give up the final two runs to take the defeat.
 
Cade Crist, Max Richards, and Reece Carganilla each had three-hit games for the Beacons.
 
GAME TWO: British Columbia 9, Bushnell 7
 
Another uncharacteristic outing from the Bushnell pitching staff led to a 15-hit game for UBC, the third-highest total of the season. Bushnell had taken back a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth inning, only to see the Thunderbirds score three in the bottom of the fifth against Ethan Sachs (0-1).
 
Crist stayed hot at the plate with two more hits, while Kolby Amaral collected a home run, just the fourth in 12 games for the Beacons in Tourmaline West Stadium.
 
UP NEXT: The Beacons will look to keep their CCC title aspirations afloat on Sunday, wrapping up their four-game series with UBC with another double header, beginning at 11:00 am.