(Everett, WA) – The Lower Columbia baseball team started well and finished well in a four-game, home and home series with the Everett Trojans.
The series began in Longview on Saturday March 4
th at Story Field. The Devils won the first game 8-5.
Michael Schwarz had an outstanding outing in a no-decision. The sophomore lefty pitched six shutout innings before being lifted with one out in the 7
th. Ahead 4-0 at the time, Everett scored four runs to tie the game. Three of the runs came off reliver
Carson Kruckman.
The Devils jumped back on top when
Easton Amundson hit a solo homer to regain the lead 5-4.
Alex Hartnett and
Tyler Peterson supplied RBI singles to make it 7-4.
Justin Stransky came up with some insurance in the bottom of the 8
th with a solo dinger, his second homer of the season.
Kruckman got the win in relief.
Jase Schueller gave up two hits and one run in two innings of work.
Stransky was 4 for 5 with a double and a homer. Peterson,
Tyler Reese, Amundson,
Nick Miller and
Royce Vandine all had two hits for LCC.
The second game Saturday saw Everett starter Tyson Willis handcuff the Devil offense over six innings. LCC could muster just four hits off Willis.
Down 8-0 in the bottom of the 7
th and final inning, the Red Devils made it interesting.
Nate Gray Jr., Peterson and
Carson Hayes had three straight singles.
Gunnar Shiotani drove in two runs with a single.
Cayden Wotipka then hit a huge three run blast to make it 8-5. The game then ended on a 6-4-3 double play. The final score was 8-5 Everett.
The setting shifted to Funko Field in Everett on Sunday March 5
th. The Trojans used a six run 7
th inning to hold off LCC 10-7.
LCC starter
Owen Luchies gave up three runs in the first inning but then settled down the next five frames. After allowing a walk and single in the bottom of the 7
th, Luchies was lifted for
Mac Elske. The Trojans ended up with seven runs in the fateful inning.
Stransky had two hits with an RBI double to lead the Devil offense.
LCC needed a win in the series finale to get the split and they came through with a 7-3 victory.
Brayden Wells shook off a shaky start to get the win with six innings of work. After giving up three in the first, Wells supplied five shutout innings.
Braeden Munger came on with a scoreless final frame in the 7
th.
Peterson went 3 for 5 with two RBI's. Hartnett was 3 for 4 with three runs-batted-in, including a big two run double in the top of the sixth.
LCC is now 6-6 on the season. The Red Devils will host the Columbia Basin Hawks in a four game series Saturday and Sunday March 11-12. The double headers both days begin at 12 noon at Story Field.
