The Lower Columbia Red Devils opened their 2026 campaign in commanding fashion on February 14, sweeping a doubleheader against the Clackamas Cougars at David Story Field.

Game 1
In the season opener, pitching dominated early as the Red Devils shut out the Cougars 2-0. The game remained a scoreless deadlock through six innings, despite Clackamas threatening with eight total hits throughout the contest. Lower Columbia finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh when Sam Davidson lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing James Cote to cross the plate for the game's first run.

The Devils added an insurance run in the eighth inning when Karsten Hansen drew a bases-loaded walk to score Noah Boria.

Graham Learing earned the win on the mound, striking out six and allowing four hits over four innings of relief. Matthew Kosderka secured the save with a clean ninth inning, while Clackamas pitcher Quintin Esmay took the loss.

Karsten Hansen paced the offense, finishing 3-for-3 at the plate.

Game 2
The second game proved to be a higher-scoring affair, with Lower Columbia rallying late to secure a 6-4 victory and complete the sweep.

Clackamas struck first in the second inning on a solo home run by Kevin Semm, but the Red Devils responded quickly to take a 2-1 lead. The game swung back in the Cougars' favor in the top of the seventh, where they plated three runs—highlighted by RBI walks from Carter Zehr and Aiden Herrera and a sacrifice fly by Jackson Poole—to snatch a 4-2 advantage.

However, the Red Devils answered immediately in the bottom half of the seventh. RBI singles by Karsten Hansen and Sam Davidson, along with a bases-loaded walk by Nathan Woodside, fueled a three-run rally that put Lower Columbia back on top 5-4. Hansen drove in another run in the eighth to seal the 6-4 final.

Hayden Line picked up the win, pitching three hitless innings in relief, while Xavier Keeney was charged with the loss for Clackamas.

Offensively, Davidson and Hansen were sparks for the Devils, both going 3-for-4, with Davidson also swiping two bases.

Following this successful opening day, the Red Devils (2-0) look to keep their momentum going when they host the Chemeketa Storm. The doubleheader is set for Thursday, February 19, with the first pitch scheduled for 3:00 PM.