Columbia Basin swept Spokane in the second leg of their 4-game conference series 13-6 and 5-1. Levi Stevenson and Sonny Salazar both earned wins on the mound in stellar performances.

GAME 1

Opening up against defending East champion Spokane would set the tone for conference play and CBC rose to the challenge. After splitting a DH in Spokane, the Hawks came home on Saturday looking to get two wins. Stevenson lead the way for the Hawks on the bump to the tune of 5 innings allowing just 3 runs on 9 hits.

At the plate, CBC used a big 6-run 4th inning to take control of the game. Andre Muneton, Cohen Sunich each singled in runs before Diego Martinez-Griffin capped off the rally with a 2-out 2 RBI single giving CBC an 8-1 lead. The Hawks were active on the base paths all day stealing 4 bags.

Spokane logged 2 runs in the 5th but Basin came right back with 1 of their own and then 2 more in the 6th and another in the 7th. Simeon Howard came on in relief and was able to handle the Sasquatch lineup while working out of an 8th inning bases loaded jam. From there, a clean 9th inning handed CBC the 13-6 final.


GAME 2

In a big decisive series finish, Salazar turned in arguably his best performance of the year to date. The freshman rightly dominated Spokane, going 7 innings and giving up just two hits and 1 unearned run. He struck out 6 and allowed just two walks.

At the plate, Basin had their hands full against a lot of velocity on the mound from the Bigfoot. In the 2nd, Muneton drew a walk and stole second base. Sunich sprayed a base hit to left field bringing home Muneton for the early lead. A few more walks in the 4th set up CBC for another rally as Andrew Lehman was hit to bring in one before Howard drove a sac fly to center field bringing home another and Kevin Brekke singled to center for one more.

Salazar faced his only trouble of the day in the 7th inning as back to back errors created a bases loaded jam with 1 out. But, Salazar was able to get a huge strikeout and then a fly ball to right field, ending the threat with just the 1 unearned run and preserving the 4-1 lead.

CBC scratched one more insurance run off a wild pitch in the 7th before Jason Schuler came on for two clean innings to put away Spokane for the 5-1 final and the double-header sweep.

CBC moves to 3-1 in conference play with the wins and in prime position to make a run at a region championship. They will open up a 4-game series against Wenatchee Valley on Wednesday at home starting at 1pm.