(Longview, WA) -- The Lower Columbia College baseball won more games than any team in the history of the storied program. But a pair of tough losses at the NWAC Championship tournament ended the magical run.
After opening the tournament with a 4-1 victory over Columbia Basin, the Devils dropped a 4-2 game to eventual champ Linn Benton and then were eliminated with a 4-2 loss to Spokane.
The Devils finished the season at 45-6 with another West Region championship.
GAME ONE - Thursday May 22
LCC 4 Columbia Basin 1
The Red Devils (45-4) scored three runs in the first two innings to take a 3-0 lead. Despite just three hits in the game, LCC had plenty of base runners with 10 drawn walks and two hit batters. After getting the lead, starter
Chayse Oxborrow pitched to his defense, needing just 78 pitches to get through seven shutout frames. Oxborrow struck out seven, allowing four hits with no walks.
Columbia Basin's most dangerous inning was the ninth when they loaded the bases with no outs. Elliott Taylor drove in the Hawks' first run with a sacrifice fly. Jacob Reese reloaded the bases with a single, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate.
LCC reliever
Stephen Hammergren then locked it in, striking out the final two batters to close out the victory for the Red Devils. Hammergren pitched the final two innings, striking out five batters.
Jace Nagler had two hits for the Red Devils.
GAME TWO - Friday May 23
Linn Benton 4 LCC 2
The Roadrunners got a standout pitching performance from starter Brody McCullen who threw eight strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Easton Corey closed out the game in the ninth, allowing two walks in a scoreless frame.
After being shutout for the first seven innings, the Red Devils finally got on the board in the top of the eighth. They loaded the bases with no outs then got an RBI fielder's choice by
Jace Nagler and an RBI single by
Harlan Rowe to cut into LBCC's lead.
Quinn Hubbs went five innings allowing seven hits and three runs. Aiden Anderson kept the Devils in the game with three innings of outstanding relief allowing just one hit and an unearned run.
GAME THREE - Saturday May 24
Spokane 4 LCC 2
The Sasquatch used four different pitchers to limit the Red Devils to just two runs and got a two-run home run from Cooper Davis to lead them to victory and keep their championship aspirations alive.
Carson Boesel made the start for the Sasquatch, pitching 5.1 innings while allowing one run with three strikeouts to earn the victory. The bullpen was strong as well as Tyler Boden came in first, pitching 1.2 innings without allowing a hit. David Barnes allowed one run with two strikeouts in the eighth and Tyler Alm earned the save with two punchouts in a perfect ninth inning.
Davis broke the game open with a two-run home run to right field off LCC starter
Kaden Harris. The home run was the first of the year for Davis.
LCC got a run back in the bottom of the sixth as
Harlan Rowe had an RBI single to score
Sam Davidson. Rowe again drove in Davidson in the eighth to cut the deficit down to 4-2, but the Red Devils were able to get no closer.
Harris went 5 1/3 innings.
Ryan McClaskey was great in relief allowing just one hit in 3 2/3 innings.
Rowe was 3 for 4 with two RBI's and was named to the NWAC All-Tournament team.
Langan Naylor had two hits in his final game as a Red Devil.
The two losses in the tournament does not diminish one of the great seasons in LCC history. The Devils set the school record for wins (45) and set the mark for most hit-by-pitches, a staggering 123. That desire to help the team in any way was evident by that HBP record.
The 2025 Devils led the NWAC in walks (276), hit-by-pitches (123), and on base percentage (.432). The Red Devils were also second in the conference with batting average against (.201), shutouts (10), ERA (2.66), and RBI (286).
