(Longview, WA) – The Lower Columbia College baseball team swept four games from Grays Harbor, but the sweep was far from easy.
 
The opening game was a Devil blow out, but the next three games were close.  LCC had to come from behind in both Sunday games to get one run victories.
 
Game #1 – Lower Columbia 17 Grays Harbor 3 (7 innings)
 
The Harbor jumped out to a 2-0 lead before LCC scored seven runs on six hits in the second inning.  The big hit in the inning was Matthew Lewis' two run single.
 
The Devils weren't done.  They scored five runs in the third with Easton Amundson's three run bomb to right center the big blow.
 
Amundson was 3 for 4 with four RBI's.  Justin Stransky was 3 for 3 with an RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases.
 
Tyler Reese was 3 for 4 with three runs scored.  Camden Oram also had a three hit game including an RBI double.  Lewis ended up 2 for 4.
 
With the win secure, LCC showed it's depth with Nate Gray Jr. getting an RBI single and Nick Miller with a pinch hit double to the base of the left field wall.
 
The Devils 18 hits supported starting pitcher Michael Schwarz who gave up three runs in five innings.  Aaron Platner had two innings of hitless relief.
 
Game #2 – Lower Columbia 3 Grays Harbor 0 (7 innings)
 
Noah Imboden went the distance with a two-hit shutout.  The freshman lefty was in control with three strikeouts and worked around three walks.
 
Amundson hit another homer, a two-run shot down the right field line that gave LCC a 2-0 lead.  Royce Vandine added a run scoring single in the third to complete the scoring.
 
Tyler Peterson was 2 for 3.
 
Game #3 – Lower Columbia 4 Grays Harbor 3
 
The Devils were hitless in the first three innings and trailed 1-0.  In the 4^th, Wren Cecil was hit by a pitch and then Stransky broke up the no-no with a double and Amundson followed with another double to make it 2-1 LCC.
 
Lewis was 2 for 3 with an RBI double.  Amundson went 2 for 2 with two RBI's.
 
Starter Owen Luchies pitched four innings allowing two runs on three hits.  Carson Kruckman was outstanding in relief going four scoreless innings allowing just two hits with seven strikeouts.
 
Mac Elske gave up an RBI single in the ninth but closed it out for the save.
 
Game #4 – Lower Columbia 5 Grays Harbor 4 (7 innings)
 
The Devils were in trouble right from the start as the Chokers plated four runs in the first inning off starter Brayden Wells.  Enter Camden Oram to get the last out in the first. Oram then dealt.  He went 6 1/3 innings allowing just one hit with six strikeouts.
 
Oram kept Grays Harbor at bay while the team looked to rally.
 
The big blow came off the bat of Amundson in the 5^th inning.  Down 4-2, Amundson detonated a ball onto the roof of the centerfield batting barn. The three run blast gave LCC a 5-4 lead and Oram made sure it held up.
 
Cayden Wotipka was 2 for 3 at the plate.  Bryan Falk was 2 for 3.
 
Amundson ended up going 7 for 11 on the weekend with three homers and 12 RBI's
 
With the sweep, the Devils remain tied with Tacoma for first place in the West with 17-3 records.  The Devils are 31-13 overall.
 
West Region play concludes with a four game series against Centralia.  The teams meet at 1 pm on Friday May 12^th for a double header.  The series concludes on Saturday May 13 with a 12 noon double header at Story Field.