Titans Split 2-2 With LCC In Last Series in Conference Play
**LONGVIEW, Wash. / TACOMA, Wash. —** The Tacoma Community College baseball team faced off against Lower Columbia College in a four-game series, spliting the final series in West Region play
In Game 1, Tacoma (17-16, 11-9) edged out LCC (38-8, 20-0) with a 9-8 victory at David Story Field, marking the first defeat for LCC in conference play this season. Tacoma opened the scoring in the third inning when Nate Jetton singled and advanced on a walk by Kaden Cretti. Ty Iddon hit an RBI single to bring Jetton home, and Brayden Buck followed with a sacrifice fly, allowing Cretti to score and giving Tacoma a 2-1 lead.
The pivotal fifth inning saw TCC score five runs, capitalizing on multiple walks. Clayton Crooks was hit by a pitch, and Jetton and Cretti walked to load the bases. Iddon and Buck each earned RBI walks, and a wild pitch allowed another run to score. Braden Jones added a sacrifice fly, expanding Tacoma's lead to 7-6.
Tacoma continued to build on their lead in the sixth inning, with Jetton and Cretti both singling, followed by Iddon's single that loaded the bases. Buck was hit by a pitch, driving in Jetton to make it 8-6. However, LCC tied the game in the seventh, setting the stage for a tense finish. In the top of the 10th, Crooks singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Jetton, leading to Cretti's RBI single that scored Crooks, sealing the victory for Tacoma at 9-8.
**Tacoma Top Performers in Game 1:**
Ty Iddon
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- 2 hits
- 2 RBIs
- 1 run
Brayden Buck
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- 3 RBIs
- 1 run
- 1 walk
Nate Jetton
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- 3 runs
- 2 hits
- 1 walk
Kaden Cretti
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- 2 runs
- 2 hits
- 1 RBI
- 2 walks
Clayton Crooks
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- 2 runs
- 1 hit
**Game 2** saw Tacoma (18-16, 12-9 NWAC) fall to Lower Columbia (38-9, 20-1 NWAC) with a close 3-2 score. Lower Columbia took an early lead with a sacrifice fly by Jaylen Kennedy in the first inning. Tacoma struggled to score until the sixth when Kaden Cretti and Ty Iddon both singled, setting the stage for Ethan Mar's two-RBI single, giving Tacoma a brief lead of 2-1.
However, Lower Columbia rallied in the ninth with a double from Jackson Noonan, followed by a game-tying RBI double from Sam Davidson. Karsten Hansen then doubled to score Davidson, clinching the game for LCC.
**Tacoma Top Performers in Game 2:**
Ethan Mar
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- 2 RBIs
- 1 hit
Jake Rafferty
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- 4 strikeouts
- 5 innings pitched
- 1 earned run
Ty Iddon
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- 1 run
- 1 hit
- 1 stolen base
Kaden Cretti
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- 1 run
- 1 hit
- 1 stolen base
**TACOMA, Wash. —** In Game 3, Tacoma dominated with an impressive 11-1 victory over Lower Columbia. The Titans showcased a strong offensive display with 11 hits, including two home runs. Vaughn Lowe led the charge, hitting a solo home run in the second inning and later a grand slam in the fifth, finishing with a season-high of 4 hits and 6 RBIs.
Tacoma maintained control throughout the game, scoring in five different innings. After a scoreless third, the Titans extended their lead in the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Jetton. The seventh inning saw Ethan Mar double and score on Lowe's single, while Carson Ackermann tripled in the eighth, clearing the bases for a final score of 11-1.
**Tacoma Top Performers in Game 3:**
Vaughn Lowe
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- 3 runs
- 4 hits
- 6 RBIs
- 2 home runs
Oscar Hyde
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- 7 innings pitched
- 2 strikeouts
- 1 earned run
- 7 hits allowed
Carson Ackermann
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- 3 RBIs
- 1 triple
Ethan Mar
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- 3 runs
- 2 hits
- 1 double
- 1 stolen base
**In the final matchup, Game 4,** Tacoma fell to Lower Columbia with a score of 5-3. TCC took an early lead in the second inning, scoring three runs with key contributions from Vaughn Lowe and Brayden Buck. However, LCC responded with a run in the seventh and tied the game in the eighth, capitalizing on a fielder's choice.
Lower Columbia then secured the win in the ninth, scoring two runs to finalize the game at 5-3. Devin Tep had a strong outing, pitching 5 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
**Tacoma Top Performers in Game 4:**
Devin Tep
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- 5 2/3 innings pitched
- 4 strikeouts
- 0 earned runs
Brayden Buck
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- 1 run
- 1 hit
- 1 RBI
Vaughn Lowe
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- 1 run
- 4 walks
**Go Titans!**