Roadrunners Claim South Region Title

ALBANY, Ore. - Linn-Benton baseball was able to win their eighth consecutive NWAC South Region title after a hard fought four game series against Umpqua Community College. The Roadrunners (30-10-1, 26-10 NWAC South) dropped the first contest at Umpqua 12-2, then rallied to secure a 3-1 win and the region title in the second road contest.

The Riverhawks (24-21, 21-15 NWAC South) would then travel to Linn-Benton and Dick McClain Field where the host Roadrunners would need late heroics for a 4-3 win in 13 innings in game one, then secured another walkoff win in game two with a final score of 5-4 in seven innings. This home series also marked the final home games for many sophomores who were honored between the two contests.

Game 1:

The first contest saw three scoreless innings to start as Roadrunner Pitcher Connor Mendez had another stellar start going six innings allowing just three hits and striking out five batters. He would get some offensive support in the top of the fourth inning as Eli Rolfe would hit an RBI single scoring Bryant Starr. 

Linn-Benton would tack on another run in the fifth inning as an Andrew Demianew RBI double would score Conner Boyd for a 2-0 advantage. In the bottom of the seventh the Riverhawks would do the unthinkable, scoring 12 runs to claim a 12-2 victory in just seven innings.

Game 2:

Linn-Benton would show great resilience in the second road game. After falling behind 1-0 in the fourth inning, the Roadrunners would answer with an RBI single from Jake Holmes that scored Starr to even the contest 1-1 in the sixth inning. Deminanew hit an RBI single to score Aiden Hazen, then Starr would hit an RBI single, scoring Boyd in the seventh inning to take a 3-1 lead.

The Roadrunners were led by Pitcher Jake Von Lubken who threw a complete game, scattering just four hits and allowing one run while recording eight strikeouts over nine innings in the title clinching game. 

Game 3: 

The visiting Riverhawks got off to a hot start scoring one run in top of the first, then tacked on one in the third and another in the fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead. Linn-Benton would get one run back in the bottom of the fifth inning as Kolten Lindstrom hit an RBI single to score Sam Giansante.

The Roadrunners would even the score in the seventh inning as Brooks Avery would reach base on a defensive error that would score Seth Willy. Lindstrom would then score Avery on an RBI single to make it 3-3 as the teams battled into extra innings.

A trio of sophomores would set the stage for some late game magic, as Lindstrom would start the thirteenth inning off with a single, then Boyd would lay down a sacrifice bunt to advance Lindstrom to second base. Demianew would step to the plate and drive a single into right field, scoring Lindstrom for the 4-3 walkoff win.

Game 4:

Both teams would score early, with Umpqua getting on the board in the first inning making it 1-0. Linn-Benton would respond in the first with a Chanz Flores sacrifice fly scoring Holmes to make it 1-1.

The Roadrunners would score three runs in the third inning as Landon Lea singled to the outfield, scoring both Jackson Fera and Aiden Hazen. Nick Biagi would follow that up with a double to send Lea across home plate and build a 4-1 advantage. Umpqua would refuse to go away, tallying three runs in the sixth inning to tie it up at 4-4 heading into the seventh and final inning.

Holmes would draw a walk to start it off, then Hazen would lay down a sacrifice bunt to advance his teammate to second base. Fera would step to the plate and was able to hit a double, scoring Holmes and securing the 5-4 win in yet another walkoff victory.

Linn-Benton will now have a bye week as they prepare for the NWAC Championships starting Thursday, May 22. The Championships will be held in Longview, Washington at David Story Field on the campus of Lower Columbia College.