Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (Longview, WA) – The Lower Columbia baseball team used two walk-off victories to win the West Super Regionals on Friday and Saturday May 17-18 at Story Field.
 
Wren Cecil was the hero in both games, propelling the Red Devils to the NWAC Championship tournament May 23-27.
 
Columbia Basin defeated Skagit Valley 5-1 in the elimination game, setting up a best-of-three showdown with Lower Columbia.
 
Game One – Lower Columbia  4 Columbia Basin 3
 
The Devils were handcuffed by CBC starter Jake Robinson for six innings.  The WSU-bound Robinson allowed just four hits and left the game with a 3-0 lead.
 
LCC starter Owen Luchies pitched well before leaving the game after three innings due to arm tightness.  He allowed just one hit.
 
Reliver Hunter Grasser came up with five solid innings to keep the Devils in the game.  He allowed an RBI single in the 5^th and a two-run homer to Wyatt Lizama in the 6^th, but otherwise was key to keeping the Devils in the game.
 
LCC broke through in the bottom of the 8^th with three runs to tie up the contest. A hit-by-pitch to Carson Hayes got it started followed by a walk to Langan Naylor.  Cayden Wotipka then drove in Hayes with a double.  Brayden Oram then came up huge with a two-run single to tie up the game.
 
Stephen Hammergren came on in the top of the 9^th and worked around a walk to set the stage.
 
Matthew Baily got the winning rally going with a one-out double. With two outs, an infield error by the Hawks put runners on third and second with Cecil coming up.  The sophomore came through with a solid base hit to left center that triggered a come-from-behind celebration and a Red Devil 4-3 victory.
 
Game Two – Lower Columbia 3 Columbia Basin 2
 
Both teams got great pitching in this one.  CBC starter Joe Pitts went six frames allowing two runs.  Devil starter Hunter Lutman also went six, giving up two runs.  Lutman struck out nine.
 
Lutman probably wants just one pitch back. Elliott Taylor turned on a Lutman pitch and hit his first homer of the season, a two run shot to tie the game.
 
The Devils had scored  two runs off Pitts, an RBI double by Jake Smith in the second and an Owen Cummins run scoring single in the 5^th.
 
Both teams got good work out of the bullpen. Hawks sidewinder Simon Lemke kept the game tied with 4 2/3 innings of work.  LCC relievers Hayden Morrison, Aaron Platner and Chayse Oxborrow were also very good.
 
It came down to the bottom of the 11^th inning.  With one out, Smith walked.  Hayes then had a great at bat against Lemke and was plunked.  Naylor got a single to load up the bases and it was Cecil in the spotlight again.
 
Cecil lifted a flyball to center field and it was deep enough to score Smith for the series clinching run.  There was no dogpile because those are saved for Memorial Day.  But the celebration was sweet and the victory qualified LCC for the championship tournament that they will host.
 
The Devils will open the tournament at 7:35 pm on Thursday May 23^rd against the Linn Benton Roadrunners, the South Region champions.
 
Lower Columbia will be looking to capture its 16^th NWAC title, and the 6^th in the last eight events.
 
The tournament starts at 9:35 am on Thursday May 23^rd.  For all the information including tickets go to:  https://nwacsports.com/Championship_Central_Baseball