The final round of the NWAC Championship Tournament is right around the corner, with the Beaks taking on Lower Columbia on May 23 in Longview, Washington at 7:35 p.m.
It’ll be Linn-Benton’s first postseason matchup of the year, as the Roadrunners earned a bye through the Super Regional round due to their status as the NWAC South’s top seed. The Beaks earned a 34-10 record in 2024, going 30-6 in their conference.
As for the Beaks’ opponents on Thursday, the Red Devils are the reigning NWAC Champions. They finished second in the NWAC West in 2024 behind Tacoma, going 37-13 this season with a 16-8 conference record. As Lower Columbia College is hosting the tournament, the team will have home field advantage throughout.
Lower Columbia racked up four all-NWAC South selections in the league’s regional awards, which were announced on May 15: pitcher Owen Luchies, infielders Langan Naylor and Wren Cecil, and outfielder Cayden Wotipka.
No matter which team wins or loses on Thursday, both programs will remain in the tournament. This round of the NWAC Playoffs, featuring the conference’s top eight teams, is double elimination. The losing team will drop to the second bracket, where another loss means elimination, while the winning team will advance in the main bracket to play again on Friday, May 24.
The championship game will occur on Monday, May 27 to end Memorial Day Weekend.
For more information on the 2024 NWAC Championship Tournament, including game times, brackets, ticket prices, and more, visit the NWAC website here.
