Lexie Rodriguez hit a walk-off three-run homer to save the day, allowing the Lower Columbia softball team to salvage a split of a non-league double header with Pierce on Saturday March 28th.
L-Rod's blast gave the Devils a 12-9 victory after Pierce won the opener 5-2.
The game was delayed by just over an hour as the coaches and players all worked hard to get the field ready to play after rains Friday night. The Devils hadn't played in 20 days and it showed at times on Saturday.
In the first game, the Devils were shut down in the first four innings, finally scoring on a Sierra Richard's groundout. The Devils tied the game 2-2 in the 5th, but the Raiders came back to plate three in the top of the 7th. Ashley Kelly and Chelsey Miller had two hits each for LCC. Bailey Ellis took the loss, despite pitching well for six innings. Ellis struck out eight.
The second game didn't start well, as LCC's Krystina Fischer allowed a first inning grand slam to Anna Lennox of Pierce. Julia Breidt kept the Devils in the game and settled things down. The Devils came back and battled the Raiders in a back and forth offensive game until Roriguez put an end to it with her 7th inning heroics.
Miller had three hits, two RBI and scored three runs. Kelsey Noble came in the top of the 7th and provided two pitches that got LCC out of trouble. Noble got the victory.
The Devils were scheduled to open South Region play on Tuesday at Southwestern Oregon, but the game has been postponed until Thursday. The forecast is for improvement in Coos Bay on Thursday.
