VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Mountaineers battled hard but ultimately came up short in both games of a doubleheader against the University of British Columbia on Saturday at Tourmaline West Stadium. Eastern Oregon lost the opener 7-3 before falling in a back-and-forth 11-9 contest in game two.

Game One: British Columbia 7, Eastern Oregon 3

Eastern Oregon (3-8, 0-4 CCC) struck first in the opener, with Parker Cumberland launching a solo home run in the first inning. The Thunderbirds (6-6, 4-0 CCC) responded immediately, tying the game at 1-1. A pitchers' duel ensued until the sixth, when British Columbia took a 2-1 lead on an RBI single from Mitchell Middlemiss.

EOU regained the lead in the seventh after Cumberland delivered a clutch two-run double, scoring Matthew Carlson and Easton Espinoza to put the Mountaineers up 3-2. However, the Thunderbirds responded in the eighth, as Jonny McGill tied the game with an RBI double before Stephen Waters broke it open with a grand slam, securing the 7-3 victory for UBC.

Cumberland led the Mountaineers' offense, going 3-for-5 with a homer, a double, and three RBIs. Danny Burns delivered a strong start, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings. Tucker Zander took the loss after allowing five runs in the eighth.

Game Two: British Columbia 11, Eastern Oregon 9

Game two featured an offensive battle, with Eastern Oregon nearly overcoming an early six-run deficit before falling just short.

The Thunderbirds jumped ahead 6-0 in the second inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from D. Krahn and an RBI triple from Middlemiss. Eastern Oregon fought back with a five-run third, sparked by two wild pitches and a two-run triple from Cumberland.

British Columbia added three more runs across the third and fourth innings, but the Mountaineers continued to push, scoring three in the fifth, including a two-run double from Espinoza, cutting the deficit to 9-8. UBC answered with two more runs in the bottom half, keeping EOU at bay.

The Mountaineers had a late opportunity in the seventh, loading the bases before a walk brought in a run, but a strikeout ended the rally. Cumberland finished 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs, and two runs scored, while Espinoza added a 2-for-3 performance with three RBIs. Jayden Butler took the loss for the Mounties, while Kellen Bourne earned the win for UBC, and Alex Lee recorded the save.

The Mountaineers will next face College of Idaho for their home opener at Optimist Field on Friday, with game one expected to start at 12:00 p.m.