Lane baseball’s run at NWAC tourney ends on walk-off

LONGVIEW, Wash. — Lane’s exit from the NWAC baseball tournament was a painful one.

Lower Columbia scored the tying run on a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning and the game-winner on a sacrifice fly one batter later to eliminate the Titans with a 3-2 victory at David Story Field on Sunday.

Lane entered the inning with a 2-1 lead, and reliever Drew Smernes got Lower Columbia’s Corey Conklin on a flyout to open the inning, but Ricky Muzzy singled, chasing Smernes and bringing right fielder Bryce Mulcahy in to try to close the game.

Mulcahy hit JT Strickler, then walked Cameron Campbell to load the bases. Jordan Barchus worked a full count against Mulcahy before walking to score Muzzy with the tying run. Kyle Sandstrom hit a fly ball to right that was deep enough to score Strickler with the game-winner.

Lane had taken the lead in the seventh inning, when Mulcahy scored on a single by Colton Sakamoto.

Thomas Rudinsky hit a sacrifice fly to score Jayden Hanna in the fourth inning for the Titans’ other run. Mulcahy was 2-for-4 for Lane (28-21).

Muzzy had four of the six hits for Lower Columbia (39-9), which will face Everett for the league title on Monday.