Tacoma Defeats Lower Columbia 6-4 to Earn Two Chances at NWAC Title on Monday

LONGVIEW, Wash. – The Tacoma Titans earned themselves two chances to win the championship on Monday by defeating the Lower Columbia Red Devils by a 6-4 score in Game 13 of the 2024 NWAC Baseball Championship on Sunday at David Story Field.

Tacoma, who had already clinched their spot on championship Monday with a 3-0 start to tournament, will now have two chances to win the title against Linn-Benton. The Titans will play Linn-Benton at 12:05 p.m. with an "if-necessary game" to follow at approximately 3:35 p.m.

The Titans got a standout performance from starting pitcher Austin Crawford who was making his first start of the season. Crawford played to his strong defense behind him, allowing just four hits over six shutout innings, with no walks and two strikeouts. Crawford left the game with a 5-0 lead.

Tacoma got on the board early and often, starting the game with a run on a Jeramiah Crain RBI fielder's choice. Drew Johnson scored his second run of the game in the top of the third, coming home on a fielder's choice to make it 2-0. In the fifth, TCC scored three runs with the first coming on a bases-loaded hit by pitch by Logan Shepherd to score Johnson for the third time. Zion Williams followed up with a two-run single, giving the Titans a commanding 5-0 lead. In the eighth, C. Cretti added an important insurance run with a sacrifice fly to score Isaiah Afework to make it 6-0.

Lower Columbia did not go down easily, however, as they were able to bring the winning run to the plate in the ninth. Cayden Wotipka had a two-out, two-run double in the eighth inning to make it 6-2. In the ninth, C. Hayes and L. Naylor each had RBI singles, which brought Wren Cecil to the plate with two runners on as they potential winning run. Cecil got good contact on a pitch, but it hung up in left field to send the Titans to the 6-4 win.

After falling behind 5-0, the LCC bullpen gave the team a chance to get back in the game. Carson Kruckman pitched 3.1 innings with one run allowed while Chayse Oxborrow pitched a shutout frame.

Despite just six hits, the Titans were able to score six runs, thanks in part to their patience with five walks along with three hit batters. Johnson led the team with a 2-for-2 game and three runs scored. Fellow leadoff hitter for LCC Langan Naylor was 3-for-4 with a run and RBI.

The defending champion Red Devils finish another strong season with an impressive 39-15 record and their record 49^th appearance in the NWAC tournament.

A new champion will be crowned on Monday between Tacoma and Linn-Benton. The Titans are looking for their first-ever NWAC baseball title while the Roadrunners their fourth ever and second in three years.

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