Dominant First Inning Propels Tacoma Past Clark

TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma secured a decisive 13–3 victory over Clark on Thursday, fueled by a six-run first inning. TCC's offense tallied eight hits and drew seven walks, contributing to its commanding win.

Tacoma opened the game with a dominant first inning, scoring six runs on two hits. Ethan Mar and Vaughn Lowe drew walks, and Carson Ackermann was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brayden Buck's RBI single brought in the first run, followed by Ty Iddon's sacrifice fly, and an error allowed another run to score. Nate Jetton's two-RBI double capped the scoring, giving Tacoma a commanding 6–0 lead.

In the third inning, Tacoma added four more runs. Jetton led off with a single and scored on Lowe's double. Buck was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in another run. Iddon's RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Kaden Cretti extended the lead to 10–2 after Clark scored two runs in their half.

Tacoma continued its scoring in the fourth inning, adding three runs. Jetton walked and later scored on a double by Lowe. Buck's sacrifice fly and Iddon's fielder's choice drove in two more runs, increasing the lead to 13–2.

Clark managed to score one run in the sixth inning on a passed ball, but Tacoma's defense held firm. Tacoma pitcher Butch Kiblen completed a strong performance on the mound, earning the win with 7 innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits, and striking out three.

Butch Kiblen delivered a complete game for Tacoma, pitching 7 innings and allowing just one earned run. Kiblen gave up six hits and issued two walks but managed to strike out three batters. He threw 104 pitches, with 66 of them being strikes, securing his first win of the season. Kiblen's performance was marked by his ability to maintain control, despite hitting one batter and throwing one wild pitch.

Tacoma Top Performers

Vaughn Lowe
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- 3 runs
- 2 doubles
- 3 RBIs

Nate Jetton
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- 2 runs
- 2 hits
- 2 RBIs
- 1 stolen base

Butch Kiblen
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- 7 innings pitched
- 1 complete game
- 3 strikeouts
- 1 earned run