Vancouver, BC – Eastern Oregon dropped their preseason doubleheader against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, losing 14-4 in the first game and 10-9 in the second, Saturday evening.
Game One EOU 4 UBC 14 (8 Inn.)
In game one, the Thunderbirds jumped out early, scoring six runs in the first inning, highlighted by Trent Lenihan's three-run homer. Eastern Oregon briefly responded in the second, with
Tyler Balkenbush driving in
Trevor Baker, but UBC extended its lead with a consistent offensive attack. Despite
Mario Landeros' 2-for-4 performance and three RBIs, the Mountaineers struggled offensively, managing only five hits.
On the mound,
Will Seslar took the loss for Eastern Oregon, allowing six runs in just 0.2 innings. UBC's Ryan Beitel earned the win, pitching two innings and allowing three runs.
Game 2 EOU 9 UBC 10
Game two proved to be a much tighter contest. Eastern Oregon built an early lead, scoring two runs in the second and three more in the fourth to make it 5-2.
Justin Frederick's sacrifice fly and a pair of key hits from
Mason Van Arsdall, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI, helped the Mountaineers. However, British Columbia rallied in the sixth and eighth innings, with a key two-run homer from Trent Lenihan and an unearned run in the eighth giving UBC a 10-9 lead.
Van Arsdall and Frederick continued to be bright spots for the Mountaineers, with Frederick driving in three RBIs and Arsdall adding an RBI double. Jonny McGill led the Thunderbirds with a 3-for-5 performance, including an RBI and two runs scored. Lenihan's homer and Kellen Bourne's key double contributed to UBC's comeback.
The Mountaineers'
Shane Sinclair took the loss in relief, while O. Duthie earned the win for UBC with a scoreless inning of work.
Eastern Oregon will look to bounce back in the series starting tomorrow at 11 a.m., back in Vancouver.
