(Longview, WA) – It was a tough offensive day for the Lower Columbia baseball team on Tuesday March 5^th.
 
At least it ended well.
 
Langan Naylor's RBI single in the bottom of the 7^th and final inning salvaged a split as the Red Devils beat the Mt. Hood Saints 3-2.  Earlier, the Saints handed the Devil their first loss of the season with a 7-3 victory.
 
Game One – Mt. Hood 7 Lower Columbia 3
 
LCC was held in check most of the way and the pitching was not up to normal standards.  The Devils defense was also subpar.
 
LCC starter Owen Luchies went 2 1/3 innings allowing four runs and five hits.  Carson Kruckman got out of the third inning mess with a pair of strikeouts, but he ran into trouble in the 4^th giving up three straight singles and two runs.
 
Hunter Grasser pitched two innings allowing one run and two hits.
 
Lower Columbia had plenty of weak contact and they could muster just one extra base hit, a Matthew Bailey double.
 
LCC had four errors in the game.
 
Game Two – Lower Columbia 3 Mt. Hood 2
 
The Devils got just three hits in the second game.  The third one was the game winner by Naylor.  With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 7^th, Gunnar Shiotani walked, pinch runner Carson Hayes went to second on a wild pitch, Nate Gray Jr. was intentionally walked.  Brayden Oram then laid down a bunt which turned into a base hit. Naylor then sharply single to center to win the game.
 
Naylor had two RBI's.
 
Starter Hayden Morrison went three frames giving up three hits and one run.  Jack DeDonato had a solid outing. He gave up one hit and struck out three in two innings of work.  Josh Mejia struggled with his control as he walked three in two innings. Mejia allowed the tying run to score in the top of the 7^th.
 
Mejia got the victory in relief.
 
Despite a somewhat lackluster performance, the Devils raised their record to 10-1 on the season.
 
LCC will host Shoreline for a four game series March 9 and 10.  The double header Saturday begins at 2 pm.  The two games Sunday begin at 12 pm.