Linn-Benton defeated Mt. Hood 6-5 but then dropped the nightcap 3-1 in NWAC South Region baseball action at Dick McClain Field on the LBCC campus on Wednesday afternoon, March 13.
The Roadrunners (8-6, 4-2 NWAC South) started game one hot after starting pitcher Brody McMullen held Mt. Hood scoreless with two strikeouts. Ethan Buckley hit a 2-run single in the bottom of the first to give Linn-Benton a 2-0 lead.
Mt. Hood scored one run in the second inning then one in the third, tying the game 2-2. Then after two scoreless innings the Saints took a 4-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning when sophomore Ryoma Imai hit a 2-run single.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Roadrunners rallied and took the lead 5-4 when sophomore designated hitter Aidan Doughtery hit a 2-run single then was later brought in by a sacrifice fly by sophomore Spencer Sullivan.
Mt. Hood tied the game in the top of the ninth inning on a wild pitch that brought home the runner on third base. Linn-Benton had a runner in scoring position but came up short, failing to score in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game to extra innings.
The 10th inning started with a quick three up, three down for the Saints and the Roadrunners took full advantage of their defensive stop. Buckley reached second after a throwing error, then was scored by a walk-off single by Kolten Lindstrom.
After the game Buckley said, “Seeing Kolten hit the walk-off was absolutely awesome. He works so hard and everyone loves to see him succeed, great dude on and off the field.”
In game two, Linn-Benton freshman pitcher Jake Von Lubken struck out three of the first six batters he faced with only one reaching base on an error.
Both teams were scoreless until Linn-Benton took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Cameron Ordway got on base with a single to center, followed by a double by Jordan Hockett, leading to Ordway scoring on an error.
The score remained 1-0 until Mt. Hood came back and took a 3-1 lead after Linn-Benton walked three runners, hit one batter and gave up three singles in the sixth inning. Despite the Roadrunners collecting a total of six hits throughout the game, they were unable to score again and Mt. Hood took game two 3-1.
The next day, Thursday, March 14, the Roadrunners played another doubleheader at home in which they beat Clackamas Community College in both games, 10-0 and 7-0. They now sit in second place in the NWAC South with a 6-2 conference record and 10-6 record overall.
LB baseball will have another doubleheader at home Saturday, March 16 against Southwestern Oregon Community College. For more information and LB’s full schedule, see https://athletics.linnbenton.edu/sports/bsb/2023-24/schedule.
