Trent Lenihan – photo by Rich Lam, UBC Athletics
British Columbia and Corban lost to ranked teams, and Eastern Oregon lost their season opener.
Southeastern 12, British Columbia 10: Trent Lenihan hit three home runs. Jonny McGill hit a three-run home run in the top of the eighth, followed by Lenihan’s third home run, and the game was tied 10-10. However, the #11 and undefeated Fire got two runs in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single by Peter Tassler and a sacrifice fly by Myles White, and led 12-10 going into the ninth. The Thunderbirds went three up three down in the top of the ninth and came up short in the upset bid.
Bryce McDonald got the win, and Owen McConnell got the loss. Ryan Beitel started for the Thunderbirds, but was chased after allowing five runs on only three hits in three innings. Lenihan finished 4-for-5 with four RBI. Mitchell Middlemiss went 3-for-5 with a double. Alfonso Villalobos went 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, and an RBI for the Fire.
Box score
The Thunderbirds finish their visit to Lakeland, FL tomorrow with a double-header against Saint Francis (IN).
Park-Gilbert 8, Eastern Oregon 7 The Mountaineers trailed 8-2 after four innings, but they got back in it with four runs in the top of the eighth, on an RBI triple by Danny Burns, an RBI single by Justin Frederick, and a two-RBI single by Mario Landeros. They added one more run with an RBI single by Greyson McDaniel with two outs in the top of the ninth, but a strikeout by Justin Frederick ended it.
Ryan Etzkorn and Cade Christopherson combined to hold the Buccaneers hitless over the final four innings. Starter Will Seslar got the loss. Mason Van Arsdall finished 3-for-5 with two RBI. This was not a bad effort for a season opener on the road against a team that has been practicing outdoors for a month. Box score
The Mountaineers and the Buccaneers will playa double-header on Friday, and one more game on Saturday. Video (subscription required)
Arizona Christian 5, Corban 4 The Warriors led the #10-ranked Firestorm 3-2 after 4 1/2 innings, without getting a single hit. They only had one hit the entire game, a double by Lucas Mertlich in the top of the eighth. (Mertlich was replaced by a pinch-runner, who was stranded on third.) The Firestorm took the lead with a run in the bottom of sixth, and added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. That insurance run turned out to be necessary, because the Warriors got to within one run with a sacrifice fly by Peyton Rickard in the top of the ninth. The game ended with a ground out by Joshua Miyazawa with the tying run on second.
The Firestorm pitchers had some remarkable numbers. Starter Frank Wierman was taken out of the game in the fifth inning when he had a no-hitter going and had struck out nine; problem was, he walked five batters, and hit another one. Box score
The Warriors and Firestorm will play single games on Friday and Saturday. Video