Roadrunners Win in Extra Innings

LONGVIEW, Wash. - Behind a near perfect performance from Starting Pitcher Connor Mendez the Linn-Benton baseball team found a way to score the lone run of the game in the bottom of the tenth inning to defeat Bellevue Community College 1-0.

The Roadrunners (30-10-1, 26-10 NWAC South) did manage to put the ball in play, tallying eight hits in total, but were unable to score through nine innings. Mendez was dominant going nine innings allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out six batters in just 99 pitches.

Heading into the top of the tenth inning, Bellevue (34-19, 21-9 NWAC North) would face Pitcher Noah Dewey who went three up and three down to set the stage for some late game heroics.

Jake Holmes would lead off the bottom of the tenth with a single and would advance to second base on a well placed sacrifice bunt from Chase Logan. A Brooks Avery single would move Holmes to third base and with runners on the corners, Bellevue chose to intentionally walk Conner Boyd to load the bases.

Kolten Lindstrom would step up to bat and hit a ball towards the second baseman, forcing an error and bringing Holmes across home plate to seal the win for the Roadrunners. Linn-Benton advances to play game 8 on Friday, May 23. That game is scheduled for a 7:35 PM start time against Lower Columbia.