Linn-Benton Defeats Tacoma Twice to Capture 4th NWAC Baseball Championship
LONGVIEW, Wash. – The Linn-Benton Roadrunners competed a tough task on championship Monday, defeating Tacoma in back-to-back games 4-3 and 7-4 to capture the 2024 NWAC Baseball Championship at David Story Field.
The title is the fourth overall for LBCC baseball and second in the past three seasons under head coach Andy Peterson, who is named NWAC Baseball Coach of the Year for the title. The Roadrunners finish the season with a 39-11 overall record, going 5-1 in the tournament. They won their last three straight to win the championship.
Linn-Benton outfielder Aidan Dougherty was named the Tournament MVP after an incredible display at the plate. Dougherty hit 12-for-26 for a .462 batting average out of the lead off spot. He scored seven runs with six RBI, one double, one home run, two walks and two stolen bases in six games. He also made a few outstanding plays defensively in right field.
GAME 14 F/10 | Linn-Benton 4, Tacoma 3
A game featuring two of the best starting pitchers in the NWAC all season went right down to the wire as expected. Linn-Benton starting pitcher Ethan Kleinschmit took a perfect game into the seventh inning before being removed after the first two runners reached base on a hit by pitch and a single. Tacoma starter Elijah Higginbottom worked into the ninth inning with nine strikeouts.
The game's fireworks started in the bottom of the seventh after the first two runners reached base for Tacoma. Linn-Benton went to the bullpen with Russell Holly, who was greeted on his second pitch by a three-run go-ahead home run by TCC first baseman Logan Shepherd.
After a shutout eighth inning, the game went to the ninth with Tacoma still leading 3-2. The first batter in Kellen Segel reached on a hit by pitch, so the Titans went from Higginbottom to Isaac Evaniew. An error on a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with no outs. Evaniew got the next batter to strikeout, but a wild pitch with one out led to the tying run to score to send the game to extras.
In the top of the 10th inning, Aidan Dougherty and Jordan Hockett started the Roadrunners offense with back-to-back singles. After a groundout moved them to second and third, Kace Naone brought the eventual winning run home on a sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the 10th, Linn-Benton's Easton Corey closed the game out with a perfect frame, striking out two. The win forced a final game between the two teams to decide the champion. Holly picked up the win in relief, not allowing any base runners after Shepherd's home run over 2.2 innings.
Kleinschmit had one of the most impressive first six innings in a tournament game as he struck out eight with no walks and just one hit allowed.
Overall, Linn-Benton outhit Tacoma 10-2 in the game. Dougherty, Naone and Segel each led the team with two hits.
GAME 15 | Linn-Benton 7, Tacoma 4
Tacoma rebounded well from the game 14 loss and jumped out a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Shepherd had another RBI while Zion Williams drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk.
Linn-Benton's Jake Dodge cut into the deficit with a solo home run in the second to make it 2-1. Tournament MVP Dougherty later drove in two runs in the fifth to give LBCC a 3-2 lead.
Next half inning, Tacoma's Drew Johnson tied things up with a solo home run. From there, it was mostly Linn-Benton as they scored three runs in the sixth as Dodge drove in another run, Naone scored on a wild pitch and Ordway brought home the third run on a single.
Tacoma loaded the bases in the sixth with no outs and was able to scratch across one run, but LBCC's day two starter in Gabe Brabec came in and limited the damage. Brabec pitched the rest of the game, totaling an incredible nine strikeouts in four innings with just one hit allowed to earn the long save. He set down the final nine hitters he faced with seven by punchout.
Tacoma finishes an incredible season with a 38-8-1 overall record and a back-to-back second place trophy.
All Tournament Team
MVP: Aidan Dougherty, Linn-Benton
Utility: Kellen Segel, Linn-Benton
Catcher: Cam Gillespie, Edmonds
Infield: Logan Shepherd, Tacoma
Infield: Carson Hayes, Lower Columbia
Infield: Chase Cretti, Tacoma
Infield: Micah Coleman, Everett
Infield: Dom Longo, Spokane
Outfield: Spencer Sullivan, Linn-Benton
Outfield: Jordan Hockett, Linn Benton
Outfield: Aden Dance, Tacoma
Outfield: Drew Johnson, Tacoma
Pitcher: Ethan Kleinschmit, Linn Benton
Pitcher: Elijah Higginbottom, Tacoma
Pitcher: Will Franklin, Edmonds
Pitcher: Troy Shepard, Spokane
Pitcher: Gabe Brabec, Linn Benton
Relief Pitcher: Easton Corey, Linn-Benton