Pitcher Ethan Kleinschmit struck out nine batters as Linn-Benton baseball (34-10) defeated Lower Columbia (37-13) in the first round of the NWAC Championships at David Story Field in Longview, Washington.
The 7:35 p.m. game between the Beaks and the tournament-hosting Red Devils was a close, defensive battle, with Linn-Benton emerging with a 1-0 victory. The lone point of the game came in the bottom of the sixth inning, when a Kace Naone double scored Spencer Sullivan.
Kleinschmit pitched seven and one-third innings for the Beaks, allowing three hits. With two opposing runners on-base in the eighth inning, Kleinschmit was replaced by Russell Holly, who showed why he was an all-NWAC South Second Team relief pitcher, striking out the remaining batters. Lower Columbia remained scoreless. In one and two-thirds innings, Holly allowed no hits and struck out three batters as the Beaks held on to win the matchup.
The Beaks will have less than 24 hours to prepare for their next matchup, taking on the NWAC North’s top seed Everett (31-14) at 7:35 p.m. on May 24 in Longview. The Red Devils have dropped to the second bracket and will face Blue Mountain at 12:35 p.m. the same day in a game that will eliminate the losing team.