(Longview, WA) – The Lower Columbia baseball team played at home for the first time this season and ended up taking three of four games over the Bellevue Bulldogs.
 
On Friday February 24^th, the Devils won by scores of 7-2 and 5-4.  The teams split a pair on Saturday February 25^th with the Bulldogs winning 7-0 and LCC 5-4.
 
GAME ONE FRIDAY: LCC 7 BELLEVUE 2
 
Michael Schwarz was outstanding on the mound as he went eight innings allowing just two runs and four hits.  He gave up a two-run homer to Abe Affholter in the sixth inning but otherwise was in control, walking just one batter.
 
Austin Sheldon came in a worked a hitless, scoreless ninth.
 
LCC jumped on Bellevue starter Cam Hoiland for four runs in the first inning. Justin Stransky's two run single was the key hit.  Tyler Peterson and Kyle Parkman also had RBI singles in the inning.
 
 Stransky and Peterson had two hits each.  Easton Amundson also had two hits. Tyler Reese had a hit, walked twice and scored twice.
 
GAME TWO FRIDAY: LCC 5 BELLEVUE 4
 
Bellevue had a 3-0 lead in the nightcap Friday before LCC erupted with four runs in the sixth inning. Wren Cecil, Nate Gray Jr. and Peterson started the inning with three straight hits. Peterson's hit scored Cecil.  Bellevue's shortstop then committed two errors in the inning allowing the Devils to score three more runs, all unearned.
 
LCC starter Noah Imboden had some control issues in his three innings of work.  Imboden walked four batters and gave up three runs in the no decision.
 
Reliever Braeden Munger was outstanding.  The lefty went four innings allowing just one run with four strikeouts. When Munger ran into trouble in the 8^th, Mac Elske came in with a bases loaded, no out situation. Elske allowed just a sacrifice fly and the game was tied 4-4 heading to the bottom of the 8^th.
 
The Devils answered right back with a Nick Miller RBI single that turned out to be the game winner.  Elske got two flyouts and a strikeout in the 9^th and got the victory.
 
Peterson, Cecil and Gray all had two hits.
 
GAME ONE SATURDAY: BELLEVUE 7 LCC 0
 
Under continued sunny skies, Bellevue jumped on the Devils with four runs in the first inning and went on to a 7-0 victory.
 
Starter Camdem Oram was greeted by three straight Bulldog hits and the inning disintegrated from there.  Oram gave up four runs (three earned) and he committed an error and a wild pitch.  Brayden Wells tried to keep the damage down but
He issued two walks before getting a strikeout to end the inning.
 
Three Bellevue pitchers combined on the shutout as LCC had just two hits, one by Miller and another by Jake Smith.
 
GAME TWO SATURDAY: LCC 5 BELLEVUE 4
 
The series final was a back-and-forth affair but the Devils got the last laugh.  Stranky's solo homer in the bottom of the 7^th tied the game and the Devils won it in the bottom of the 8^th on Gray's sacrifice fly.
 
LCC had a 3-1 lead when Bellevue scored three runs in the top of the 7^th to take the lead.
 
Owen Luchies didn't have his normal stuff, but he worked hard allowing just three earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.  Carson Kruckman was outstanding in relief allowing just one hit in 2 1/3 innings. Kruckman got the victory.
 
Peterson, Stransky and Gray had two hits each. Gray drove in two runs including the game-winner.
 
The Devils evened their record at 4-4 with the series victory.  LCC will host Everett on Saturday March 4^th at Story Field. The double header gets underway at 12 noon.  The two teams will then meet at Funko Field in Everett on Sunday March 5^th for a 1 pm twin bill.