The Lower Columbia College Red Devils couldn't get the clutch hit they needed on the opening night of West Region baseball play.
 
Tacoma defeated Lower Columbia 10-2 on Friday March 30^th at Story Field in Longview.  The Devils left the bases loaded three times and left a total of 12 runners on base. Three LCC errors certainly didn't help the cause.
 
The Titans scored single runs in the third and fourth innings off Devil starter Yancy Bird.  Bird went 3 1/3 innings giving up two runs and four hits.  He took the loss.
 
LCC reliever Mitch Lines came on and pitched out of the pen, going 4  innings.  Lines gave up an RBI double to Robby Pogue followed by an RJ Green RBI single in the 6^th. 
 
Tacoma added six insurance runs in the 8^th on two LCC errors and a two run single, two run double and RBI double off reliever Derek Downey. Travis Paynter then came in to end the painful 8^th.
 
James Grubb finished up with a scoreless ninth.
 
Nate Packard got the victory with five innings of work for Tacoma.
 
Kyle Sandstrom and Sam Trend-Beacom had two hits each.  JT Strickler had a hit and an RBI to go along with three walks.
 
The Devils will try and flush this one when they host Grays Harbor for a single game on Saturday March 31^st at 1 pm at Story Field.