A strong opening win in a double header at Chemeketa was tempered when a stirring LCC second game comeback fell just short on Thursday April 16th.
The Devils and Storm split the twinbill with LCC winning 7-3 and the Storm holding on for a wild 12-11 game in the nightcap.
Krystina Fischer got the complete game victory in the opener. The freshman lefty scattered seven hits, struck out four and walked just one. Sierra Richards led the offense by going 3-4 with a homer and three RBI.
Richards two run homer in the 4th gave the Devils a lead they would not relinquish. Nicole Bolasky had three hits and scored two runs. She also swpied her 20th base of the season. Chelsey Miller had two hits including an RBI double. Maggie Harshaw had two basehits.
The second game started well, with the D's scoring four runs in the first inning. But Chemeketa got to starter Bailey Ellis for three runs in the bottom of the first. The Storm then exploded for six runs in the second, chasing Ellis. Julia Breidt came on to pitch and kept the Storm at bay long enough for the Devils to rally.
Down 9-4 after three frames, LCC then rolled four in the 4th to get close. In a wild 7th, the Devils got a huge bases-loaded double from Miller, but Bolasky's attempt to score from first was cut down on a perfect relay throw ending the game.
Bolasky had two hits and two RBI, Breidt had two hits and MacKenzie Hill came off the bench for two basehits. Ashley Kelly, Harshaw and Miller collected two RBI each.
With the split, the Devils are now 4-4 in South Region play as they take a break from league play and head to Yakima this weekend. LCC opens the Yakima Cross Over at 1 pm Saturday against North Idaho, then 3 pm against Treasure Valley. The Devils on Sunday play Pierce at 10 am followed by a game with Yakima Valley at 2 pm.
