Columbia Basin split their Sophomore Day double-header against Blue Mountain by scores of 4-3 and 5-6.
Joe Pitts earned the win in Game 1 going 7 innings allowing 3 earned and striking out 5.
GAME 1
Blue got to Pitts early with 2 runs in the second but the freshman was unfazed as he continued to work through the early deficit.
Ethan Stewart got the Hawks on the board in the second with a sac fly following
Trevor Dale's triple to cut the lead to just 1. The T-wolves plated another in the 5th extending the lead to 3-1 but that would be it as Pitts powered through 7 strong innings.Â
Stewart connected again for an RBI double in the sixth, again cutting the lead to one. In the seventh, it was
Lance Anderson's 2-RBI triple that would make the difference giving CBC the 4-3 lead.
Simon Lemke came on to close out the final two innings and with runners on 2nd and 3rd, Lemke was able to induce a come-backer that he would convert for the final out and playoff-clinching win.
GAME 2
AJ Woodward was handed the ball in Game 2 and was good in spots. Blue utilized a few errors to get on the board again early with 2 runs in the second. CBC came right back over the top in the 3rd with doubles from Dale and
Kevin Brekke to take the lead back 3-2. The difference maker came in the 4th as Blue scored 2 runs with 2 outs to regain the lead 5-3.
Dale's sac fly in the 5th cut the lead to one but this time there would be no comeback. Another untimely error allowed Blue to add on an important insurance run in the 9th pushing the score to 6-4. With last ups,
Brayden Mayencourt drew a pinch hit walk to lead off the inning before
Elliott Taylor sent a first pitch fastball to the fence in right, scoring Mayencourt. From there, the magic would run dry as Basin ended the game with 3 flyouts for the 6-5 final.
CBC will finish as the 3-seed out of the East. They will travel to West #2 Lower Columbia to face Skagit Valley in a one game playoff. Winner will then open a best of 3 series against Lower Columbia with the winner qualifying for the Championship tournament, also hosted at Lower Columbia in Longview, WA.
