LEWISTON, ID – Jadon Williamson struck out 15 in his outing and the Warrior offense did its job in No. 24 LC State’s doubleheader sweep of Eastern Oregon. The Warriors took game one 6-4 behind a go-ahead hit by Jack Sheward before winning game two 11-3 with two home runs by Charlie Updegrave.
“Evan (Canfield) and Jackson (Cloud) competed on the mound and we did just enough offensively with a few timely hits,” coach Jake Taylor said of game one. “Jadon was dominant with his fastball tonight. He worked ahead and challenged their lineup,” he said of game two.
The wins improve the LC State record to 8-7 overall and 6-2 in Cascade Conference play.
GAME ONE: No. 24 LC State def. EOU 6-4
The Warriors scored in the bottom of the first to take an early lead. Ike George doubled to right center and advanced to third on a fly out by Sheward. A groundout by Updegrave plated the first run.
Evan Canfield worked a 1-2-3 top of the second and the Warriors added another run in the home half of the frame. Brandon Cabrera walked and stole second before taking third on a passed ball. Bulla Ephan walked and was lifted for courtesy runner Spencer Zeller, and a play on the bases allowed Cabrera to score to make it 2-0.
Canfield fanned two in the third and LC State struck for two more. George hit a solo shot to lead off the inning and Sheward followed with an infield single. A fielder’s choice and an error moved him to third before a sacrifice fly by Abe Affholter made it 4-0.
EOU answered to tie the game in the top of the sixth. After a run in the fourth and two in the fifth, the Mountaineers tied the game with a solo home run to start the sixth.
Jackson Cloud settled in in the seventh inning before striking out two in the top of the eighth.
The Warriors regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Garrett Bevacqua singled to start the inning and pinch runner Jordan Justice took second on a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Karagiannopoulos. George drew a walk to put two on and both came in to score on the go-ahead two-RBI triple by Sheward.
Cloud struck out one in the ninth to earn the win.
STAT RECAP
George led the contest with three hits (3-4) and three runs scored. Sheward ad Bevacqua each had two hits and Sheward drove in two runs.
Canfield tossed five innings and struck out seven while walking just one. Cloud fanned five in four innings.
GAME TWO:
Williamson struck out eight batters in the first three innings before the Warriors put up two runs in the third.
George singled through the right side before Updegrave blasted a two-run shot over the wall in center for a 2-0 lead.
Williamson struck out the side in the fourth, the third inning in a row doing so, and fanned two more in the fifth. LC State plated five in the bottom of the fifth to blow the game open.
Cabrera started the inning with a single and stole second before a walk and error plated a run. George, who reached on the error, stole second two put two in scoring position and Updegrave cleared the bases with a three-run homer way over the wall in right. Dominic Signorelli reached on a fielder’s choice and came around to score on a double by Kai Pagan.
Jace Taylor took over on the mound in the top of the eighth and gave up two runs, but the Warriors answered in the bottom of the inning.
Cabrera led things off with a single to right and stole second. George walked and a double off the wall in center by Izzy Madariaga knocked in a run. A bloop single by Updegrave plated George and a groundout by Marquez made it 10-2. A hustle double by Signorelli drove in pinch runner Zeller and Zachary Ediger allowed just one run in the ninth.
STAT RECAP
Williamson struck out 15 in his seven innings. The mark is sixth-most by a Warrior in a single game. He did not allow a run or walk a batter.
Updegrave finished the game with three hits (3-5) and six RBI. Marquez and Signorelli each had two hits with both of Signorelli’s being doubles.
George and Cabrera each swiped two bags.
