The Lower Columbia College baseball team opened the season with two games against the top ranked team in the NWAC. The Devils got a walk-off homer from freshman
Matthew Schwarz in the opener and then rode fine relief pitching from freshman
Spencer Andersen in the nightcap taking two from the Spokane Sasquatch.
LCC won game one 7-5 and took the nightcap 8-5.
Schwarz, who hails from Central Valley in Spokane, was the game one hero as he smashed a pitch from David Richards over the left field fence to walk it off. With a 4-1 lead after six innings, Spokane rallied for three runs in the top of the 7th and a run in the 9th to tie it up. Enter Schwarz to win it with the lone home run of the day.
Devil starter
Tyson Guererro went four innings allowing just one run on two hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
Eli Shubert came on in relief but a 30 minute rain delay did him in as he couldn't find the plate after the delay and he ended up giving up three runs. Despite three walks
Griffin Henry went 2.1 innings and allowing one run.
Alex Brady came on in the 9th and gave up a game tying base hit but then struck out a batter to preserve the tie. Brady got the victory.
Schwarz was 2 for 5 with three RBI's.
Drew Steelhammer was 3 for 4 in his college debut.
Grant Sherrod and
Kyle Casperson had two hits in their first regular season game.
Tommy Davis had a two-run double to get the scoring started for LCC.
LCC game two starter
Nick Jennings had a rough first inning as Spokane came up with three runs on four hits in the first.
Spencer Andersen came on with two outs in the 4th and provided a huge boost out of the bullpen. Andersen went 5.1 innings allowing four hits and no runs. He kept Bigfoot at bay and that allowed the Devils to rally.
Down 5-2 in the bottom of the 6th, the Devils rolled four runs.
Greg Bernash had a big RBI double and Casperson followed with an RBI single.
LCC added two big insurance runs in the 8th on RBI single by sophomores
Shane Jamison and
Chase Matheny.
Andersen got the victory with his stellar outing.
The Devils and Sasquatch will play again on Sunday, a double header beginning at 11:00 am at Story Field.