The Lower Columbia Red Devils wrapped up their regular season with a doubleheader split against Tacoma on Saturday. With the regular season in the books, the Red Devils boast a phenomenal 40-10 overall record and a dominant 22-2 mark in West Region play. As the undisputed number one seed out of the West, Lower Columbia is now setting its sights on the NWAC Baseball Championships.
Game 1: Tacoma 11, Lower Columbia 1
In the first game of the day, Tacoma's bats came alive early and often to secure an 11-1 victory. Tacoma's Oscar Hyde earned the win with a 4-3Â record, throwing seven strong innings while allowing just seven hits, one earned run, and striking out two. Lower Columbia's
Caden Spanier took the loss, falling to 5-1, after giving up five hits and two earned runs over four innings on the mound.
Vaughn Lowe led the charge for Tacoma's offense, blasting two home runs and driving in a massive six RBIs. Carson Ackermann also contributed significantly with a triple and three RBIs. Lower Columbia's lone run came in the fifth inning on an RBI single by
Jaylen Kennedy that scored
Sam Davidson.
Game 2: Lower Columbia 5, Tacoma 3
The Red Devils bounced back in the nightcap, erasing an early 3-0 deficit to claim a 5-3 victory. Tacoma scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the second inning, but Lower Columbia's pitching shut them down the rest of the way while the offense rallied late.
Justin Fuller put in 4.2 innings of work, striking out five, while allowing just one earned run.
Matthew Kosderka was stellar in relief, pitching three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, and striking out three, earning his 2nd win of the season. Reece Boekenoogen took the loss for Tacoma, dropping to 0-1, after giving up three earned runs in 2.1 innings of relief.
Lower Columbia tallied 11 hits in the win.
Sam Davidson scored two runs and hit a double.
Jaylen Kennedy collected two hits and an RBI. The Devils tied the game with a run in the eighth inning and took the definitive lead with a two-run ninth inning.
Looking Ahead to the NWAC Championships
The Red Devils head into the postseason as the top seed from the West Region. The NWAC Baseball Championships will be held May 21-25 at David Story Field on the campus of Lower Columbia College.
Tickets for the NWAC Championships are on sale now at nwacsports.com! For complete tournament information go toÂ
nwacsports.com/Championship_Central_Baseball
