(Longview, WA) – The regular season didn't end as they hoped, but the Lower Columbia baseball team now looks forward to the post-season where they will travel to Roseburg for an NWAC Super Regional next weekend.
 
The Tacoma Titans took three of four games this past weekend to capture the West Region championship for the first time since 2003. Tacoma swept the Devils 5-2 and 2-0 on Friday the 13^th in Tacoma.  Tacoma clinched the division with a 4-1 victory at Story Field on Saturday May 14^th.  LCC salvaged the series finale with a 4-0 victory in the second game Saturday.
 
After Saturday's second game, eleven Red Devil sophomores were honored in a ceremony that featured comments from coach Kurt Lupinski and framed photographs for the players.  Family and friends were on hand to celebrate a group of players who fought through the pandemic and provided winning baseball and achievements in the classroom.
 
The games Friday were moved to Minnitti Field due to the weather forecasts.  The change of venue was a distinct disadvantage for the Devils who had to play three straight games at Tacoma before getting a chance on the home field.
 
Tacoma showed outstanding pitching, but so did LCC.
 
Tacoma starter Trent Buchanan struck out nine Devils in the 5-2 win Friday.  Although the LCC pitchers had many outstanding moments with 11 combined strikeouts, seven walks did not help the cause.
 
Eric Luchies and Ethan Stacy had two hits each for LCC. Justin Stransky and Daniel Gernon each drove in a run.
 
Brayden Marcum was again outstanding for LCC has he went the distance in the 2-0 loss.  Marcum allowed just five hits and two runs, one unearned.
Seti Manase dominated the Devils with a one-hitter.  Stacy had the lone hit.
 
The scene shifted to Longview on Saturday and the Lower Columbia offense continued to falter.  Shutout for six frames, the Devils finally got on the board with a Stransky RBI basehit.
 
Michael Schwarz pitched well enough to win. The freshman lefty went 4 1/3 innings allowing five hits and three runs.  Aaron Robertson was outstanding in relief with 4 2/3 innings of four hit ball allowing one run with seven strikeouts.
 
Following the game, Tacoma piled on each other to celebrate their West championship.  It snapped LCC's five-year reign as West Champs.  The Devils won 17 of the West crowns since Tacoma's last division title 19 years ago.  The Titans earned it with outstanding pitching and timely hitting.
 
The Devils were not to be swept.  In a line-up that featured all eight of the departing sophomores, the Devils won 4-0.
 
Ryan Pitts tossed four innings of one-hit ball to get the victory.  Pitts struck out five and worked around four walks.  Cole Bertram pitched a perfect 5^th and Mac Elske locked it down with two scoreless frames despite four walks.
 
Max Richards was the offensive star as he was 2 for 3 with a run scoring double and two RBI's.
 
The Devils will open up NWAC Super Regional play Saturday May 21^st in Roseburg, Oregon.  LCC will play Skagit Valley in a loser out game at 12 pm at Champions Car Wash Field.  The winner will play host Umpqua in a 4 pm game on Saturday, the first of a best-of-three series.  There will be a game at 12 pm Sunday May 22^nd and the "if" game would be at 4 pm.
 
The winner of the Regional will advance to the NWAC Championship tournament at Story Field Thursday May 26^th.  The team that comes out of the Super Regional will play Everett in the first round.