The Lower Columbia Red Devils experienced a true rollercoaster of emotions on Saturday, splitting their doubleheader against Edmonds in Lynnwood, WA. After suffering a tough 7-5 loss in the first game due to a late-inning faulture at Triton Field , Lower Columbia showed remarkable resilience, bouncing back in game two with dominant pitching and early power to secure a 3-1 victory.
Game 1: Late Lead Slips Away in 7-5 Loss
In the opening matchup, Lower Columbia fell 7-5 despite out-hitting Edmonds eight to seven and playing flawless, error-free defense. The game remained a tense, scoreless deadlock until the top of the sixth inning, when the Red Devils broke through to score three runs. The rally was sparked by Sam Davidson, who singled to bring home Harlan Rowe. Shortly after, Jackson Noonan reached on an error by the Edmonds second baseman, allowing Davidson to cross the plate unearned. Ross Kelley then ripped an RBI double to score Noonan and cap the inning's production.
Lower Columbia's starting pitcher, Caden Spanier, delivered a brilliant performance on the mound to keep the team in control. Spanier tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits while striking out four batters. However, the bullpen struggled to maintain the momentum.
After extending their advantage to 4-1 in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI single by Kelley , the Red Devils surrendered a devastating six runs in the bottom of the frame. Lincoln Berg took the loss for Lower Columbia, giving up five earned runs on two hits in just 1.1 innings of work.
Despite fighting back in the ninth inning with a sacrifice fly by Jaylen Kennedy that scored Rowe, the Red Devils ultimately fell short. Offensively, Davidson led the way with three hits, two runs, and an RBI. Kelley also had a stellar showing at the plate, tallying two hits, two RBIs, and a double.
Game 2: Hubbs and the Long Ball Secure 3-1 Victory
Lower Columbia wasted absolutely no time setting a new tone in the second game, relying on the long ball to secure a 3-1 win.
James Cote got the Red Devils on the board immediately in the top of the first inning by blasting a solo home run. Harlan Rowe kept the energy high, immediately following suit with his own solo shot to give Lower Columbia a quick 2-0 lead. In the second inning, Jaylen Kennedy extended the advantage with an RBI double that successfully brought Davidson home.
That early run support was more than enough for starting pitcher Quinn Hubbs, who completely overwhelmed the Edmonds lineup. Hubbs earned the win by pitching 6.1 masterful, scoreless innings, allowing just a single hit while striking out seven batters. Dante Santulli provided flawless relief out of the bullpen, striking out three over 1.2 hitless innings. Edmonds managed to avoid the shutout with a late RBI single by Lucas Christensen in the bottom of the ninth inning , but Brendan Bowyer closed the door to earn the save.
Kennedy finished the nightcap with two hits, including a double, and an RBI. As a team, the Red Devils collected seven hits and once again committed zero errors , improving their impressive season record to 15-5.
The Red Devils will back on the road again this weekend with a four game stint vs the Columbia Basin Hawks in Pasco, WA on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21. Action gets underway at 1:00 pm on Friday.
