Late Rally Leads Roadrunners Past Lakers

ALBANY, Ore. - The Linn-Benton baseball team needed outstanding efforts to hold off the Southwestern Oregon Community College Lakers in a two game series at Dick McClain Field. The home team took a 1-0 victory in game 1 and scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure a 4-3 victory in game two.

Game 1:

Starting Pitcher Connor Mendez stole the show in the first game of the day. Mendez pitched all nine innings allowing just one hit, no runs or walks and striking out 12 batters. The Roadrunners (19-3-1, 15-3 NWAC South) were able to score their lone run of the contest in the bottom of the third inning.

Bryant Starr hit a double to start the inning, and would advance to third base on a Jackson Fera ground out. Kolten Lindstrom would then hit a single that drove in Starr. After that it was up to the Roadrunner defense and Mendez, who faced just 28 batters in the nine inning contest. 

Game 2:

Linn-Benton would take an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of game two as Starr scored on a wild pitch. The Lakers (12-12, 9-8 NWAC South) would show great resilience, bouncing back after trailing early by tying the game in the fourth inning from a Daichi Furuhata RBI double. SWOCC took the lead in the fifth inning on a Beau Benedictson RBI single to make it 2-1 for the visitors.

The Lakers scored one more run in the top of the ninth with an RBI single from Ryder Okimoto to take a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth. The Roadrunners would need a late rally, and it started with a lead off walk of Aiden Hazen.

That led to a pitching change, and after a walk of Jake Holmes the Lakers earned two outs and looked ready to claim the road victory. However, a Sam Giansante single scored Hazen to make it a 3-2 game. Conner Boyd was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases. 

Starr would draw a walk to tie the score 3-3 and Lindstrom was hit by a pitch to score Giansante and make the final score 4-3 for the Roadrunners. Wyatt Connally was credited with the win in relief for the home team.

Linn-Benton will now travel to Coos Bay for a pair of games on the road this Saturday, April 5 to complete the four game series with the Lakers. The double header is scheduled for 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM start times, with the first contest a nine inning game and the second contest a seven inning game.