VANCOUVER, B.C. – After struggling to establish themselves yesterday in a pair of shutout losses to No. 23-ranked University of British Columbia, the Corban University Baseball team was much more intact with their gameplan today in games three and four of the four-game series with the Thunderbirds, as they fought to the bitter end of 9-5 and 3-2 losses to the nationally ranked program on the road, the latter of which was settled in extra innings.

"UBC has one of the better pitching staffs I've seen and an offense that you can't take a pitch off against," began Warriors' head coach Ryan Harris when asked to detail the four-game series in Canada this weekend. "I'm proud of the effort we had to come out and put pressure on UBC early. The biggest part of today was both Luke and Hayden VanAcker. Those two singlehandedly gave us an opportunity to win in game four. Luke, as a true freshman, was our offense for the majority of the day today. Incredibly proud of him and who he is as a student-athlete. Hayden had guts and determination today. Worked so incredibly hard to keep us in the ball game, just an amazing and gutsy performance from him to conclude our weekend."

Game 1 - #23 UBC 9, Corban 5

Despite being held without a run for the first time all season yesterday, the Warriors (6-23, 1-7) exploded out of the gate in game three by scoring three runs in the first two innings, the first two on a two-RBI single for graduate student first baseman Nainoa Ka'ahanui, while freshman leftfielder Lucas Mertlich launched a solo home run with one out in the top of the second.

However, the Thunderbirds (20-11, 5-3) rallied on their home field in the bottom of the second and preceding innings to hold a 6-3 lead through four innings of play. After snagging a run back in the top of the fifth, Corban cut the lead to one in the sixth thanks to an RBI double by Mertlich to pull his team into a 6-5 scenario.

Despite the Warriors' best efforts, UBC tallied six more runs over the next two innings to improve upon their scoreboard advantage and hold off the Corban comeback bid thanks to the pitching of reliever Vicarte Domingo. Picking up his fourth save of the season was Domingo in a 4.0 inning, single run, and two hit outing with a trio of strikeouts to keep the Navy and Gold at bay. Starting pitcher Ryan Beitel had to be relieved after 5.0 innings but still picked up the win after allowing four runs, four hits, a walk and secured eight strikeouts.

For only the third time this season, Warriors' freshman starting pitcher Avery Williamson accepted a losing decision after seeing five runs come across under his command on five hits and six walks in 2.2 frames. Redshirt reliever Nathan Findley pitched the next 3.2 innings and surrendered three runs on seven hits with a quartet of UBC punchouts, while junior relief pitcher Sam Greenhalgh concluded the day with 1.2 innings of action on one run, one hit, two walks, and two strikeouts.

Mertlich was the lone Warrior with a multi-hit start to the team's final day in Canada, cashing in on a pair of RBI and scoring a run on two hits. Ka'ahanui, junior third baseman Ryan Clay, junior rightfielder Noah Owens, and sophomore second baseman Brady Majewski all added a single base hit apiece to the Warriors' totals.

The top three Thunderbirds in the UBC lineup all had at least two hits in the third game of their series with Corban, powered by leadoff hitter and centerfielder Kaden Zarowny and his two hits, two runs scored, and three RBI performance.

Game 2 - #23 UBC 3, Corban 2 (10 Innings)

The first pitcher's duel of the series came in the finale at Tourmaline West Stadium, as the two starting pitchers in game four for both Corban and British Columbia each tossed at least seven innings in the low scoring affair.

It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth when the first run of the game was scored by UBC, as an RBI single scored just one run and provided Corban with more than enough opportunities to take the lead throughout the contest. Finally, in the top of the seventh inning, Mertlich struck again for his second longball of the day, as he propelled a two-run bomb that also scored senior designated hitter Matthew Den Hartog to give the Warriors a 2-1 lead with two and a half frames still remaining.

The very next opportunity they had, British Columbia secured a sacrifice fly to knot the contest back at 2-all, which would eventually carry into extra innings as Corban junior starting pitcher Hayden Van Acker was dealing through 9.0 innings of play. Much to the dismay of the Warrior fans in attendance hoping to salvage the series with their second NAIA Top 25 knockoff win in as many weeks, the Thunderbirds found the walk-off hit they needed on their home field on the first at-bat of the bottom of the tenth inning, as rightfielder Mitchell Middlemiss cashed in on a leadoff home run and thus clinch a four-game sweep for his program.

Even though the Thunderbirds managed to secure 12 hits in the extra inning contest, Van Acker pitched around nearly every inning to hold the hot-hitting conference opponent to just two runs through nine complete innings, but eventually took his fourth loss of the season with four strikeouts along the way.

UBC starting pitcher Daniel Orfaly had his night end after 7.0 innings of work with eight strikeouts, holding the Warriors to two runs on two hits and three walks. Reliver Evan Hoegler picked up the win after completing the last 3.0 innings of play while allowing just one walk and striking out two batters.

Mertlich was responsible for both Corban hits in game four of the series, scoring one of the two runs and adding two RBI to his season totals on his seventh inning bomb.

Shortstop David Draayers led the Thunderbirds' offense with three hits on four at-bats and scored a run, while Middlemiss played the role of walk-off hero with a pair of hits.

The Navy and Gold will enjoy their weekend off from conference play and utilize the spring break to rest up from their international journey before their next scheduled contest on April 2nd at NCAA DIII Lewis & Clark College (10-9-1) in Portland, with their single game matchup starting at 3pm.

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