Linn-Benton Earns Spot in Championship Monday

LONGVIEW, Wash. - The Linn-Benton baseball team faced a familiar foe  as they looked to advance in the NWAC Baseball Championships. The Titans of Lane Community College entered the day undefeated in the tournament, but the Roadrunners (38-10, 27-9 NWAC South) handed them their first loss of the postseason, defeating the Titans 9-1.

Noah Scharer started the scoring for the designated home team in the bottom of the second as he scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0. The Roadrunners again leaned on the long ball to score, as Nick Biagi hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning that scored Scharer. Kellen Segel hit a two-run homer of his own that scored Boston Caron and made it 5-0 midway through the fourth inning.

The Roadrunners scored four more in the sixth inning, as a Mark Carpenter double scored both Seth Willy and Caron. Jackson Fera would then hit a double that scored two runners, Chanz Flores and Carpenter. The Titans (39-17, 24-12 NWAC South) threatened to get back into the contest multiple times, but managed just one run in the seventh inning. Lane Simonsen pitched very well as the starter went six strong innings, allowing just one run on six hits and striking out six. Kyle Miller and Preston Daniels pitched well in relief.

Championship Monday now features two single-elimination games. Linn-Benton will face Lower Columbia at 12:00PM. The winner of that game will play at approximately 3:35PM for the title against Lane.