(Walla Walla, WA) – The Lower Columbia College softball team showed some mental toughness by coming back to win the second games of three double headers in eastern Washington.
The road trip began Friday November 3
rd at Yakima Valley College. The Yaks won the first game 11-3 as YVC scored seven runs in the bottom of the third inning. The game was shortened to five innings by the eight-run rule. Yakima pitcher Madison Kennedy allowed just three hits, two by
Sunny Bennion of LCC.
The second game was all Lower Columbia. The Devils jumped out to a 10-0 lead and went on to a 12-2 victory in five innings. Bennion had another big game with three hits and three runs scored.
Sawyer Stenson was 2 for 3 with two RBI's and two runs scored.
Destiny Dunlap had two hits including an RBI double.
Teeghan Reams went 2 for 4 with three RBI's.
Emily Panush also drove in three runs for the Devils.
The offense was in support of Yakima native
Alli Heater who pitched a complete game victory, scattering seven hits and allowing just two runs.
Heater also had two hits and an RBI.
The Devils moved on to Pasco for a twin bill with Columbia Basin College on Saturday March 4
th. Like Yakima, the first game was rough. Red Devil pitching gave up 14 hits in five innings as the Hawks won 10-2. LCC was held to just four hits off CBC pitcher Macao Jackson.
Bennion accounted for the Red Devil scoring with a two-run homer in the third inning.
The second game against CBC was a wild affair. The Hawks jumped out to a 7-0 lead after three innings. The Devils chipped away with four runs in the top of the 4
th and then took the lead by scoring 10 runs in the top of the 5
th. LCC added four more in the top of the 7
th and got the Pasco split with an 18-10 victory.
The Devils had five homers in the game.
Leanna Russell had a big game going 3 for 5 with five RBI's. Her 4
th inning grand slam homer got the Devils offense going.
Stenson was 2 for 5 with a homer and three RBI's. Reams had three hits with a double and a homer. She drove in two and scored three runs.
Raychel Squibb was 3 for 5 with a homer and two RBI's. Squibb also scored three runs.
Bella Aspaas was 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBI's.
Heater also hit a homer to trigger the 10 run 5
th frame.
The excursion concluded with a double header at Walla Walla on Sunday March 5
th.
The weekend theme continued with Walla Walla jumping on LCC for eight runs in the first inning on the way to an 11-2 victory. The highlight in the circle was
Sadie Knutson going two one-hit innings of relief.
Stenson had two hits and an RBI to lead the LCC offense.
The Devils again showed that they might get knocked down, but they always get up. LCC won the weekend finale 9-1 over the Warriors. Heater had the best outing of the weekend by pitching six innings allowing just one run. She scattered six hits and struck out four.
LCC scored three runs in the first inning to jump out on top. The Devils then took advantage of three walks and four singles to add three more in the 5
th.
Bennion went 3 for 4 with three runs and three stolen bases. Aspaas hit a mammoth home run for LCC.
There is still some work to be done as LCC head coach
Traci Fuller plays the roster to find out which players will be in the regular rotation come South Region play. The pre-league season continues with the NWAC Intra-Region event at the Regional Athletic Complex (RAC) in Lacey on the weekend of March 11-12. The Devils take on Pierce at 9 am followed by a game with Spokane at 11:30 am, both on Saturday March 11
th. The schedule on Sunday March 12
th has the Devils against Edmonds at 2 pm followed by a game with Highline at 4:30 pm.
