On April 29, the EdCC Tritons baseball team lost both games of a doubleheader to the Everett Community College Trojans, who lead the North Region league standings.

The games were the Tritons’ seventh and eighth losses of the season – overall the Tritons have won 27 out of 39 games, but only four of their last ten.

The Tritons got off to an early lead in the first of the two matches, with first baseman Joe Rankin pulling in a solo homerun in the third inning.

The next run was not until the sixth inning by the Trojans. Right fielder Trent Tinglestad scored a run off of a base hit and a double, leaving the score tied at 1-1.

In the eighth inning an RBI was made by Trojans centerfielder Bryce Steckler off a man at third base, bringing the score to 1-2.  

In the ninth inning, the Tritons evened out the score when shortstop Zach Needum hit a triple, while third baseman Justin Polzin hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Needum for an RBI.  

In extra innings Triton pitcher Jared Gray hit Trojans left fielder Jaden Yackley, leading to a man on first. The Tritons substituted in pitcher Matt Olstead, but the Trojans answered with bats cracking – their second baseman landed a two-run homer in the very next play.

After Olstead walked Tinglestad, the Tritons switched pitchers again, bringing in Kelly Fromm. A subsequent single made by Cordova-Smith put a man on first and second. Trojans shortstop Nic Anderson then hit a double, batting both Tinglestad and Cordova-Smith in. This extended the Trojans lead to 2-6.

The Tritons failed to return in the bottom of the 10th.

The second half of the double header resulted in another 2-8 loss for the Tritons with centerfielder Guthrie Morrison and right fielder Taylor Poffenroth scoring the only two runs for the Tritons in the sixth and seventh inning respectively.

The Trojans dominated in the second half of the game, scoring three runs in the fifth inning and four runs in the eighth to shore up their lead and ultimately beat the Tritons.

The Tritons only have two more regular season games: one on May 12 and the other on May 13. Both games start at 1:00 p.m. at Linn-Benton Community College outside Corvalis. Linn-Benton commands the number one spot in the South Region league standings.

Thanks to their exceptional record this season, the Tritons are already guaranteed a spot in the NWAC Regional Playoffs, to be held the weekend of May 19. The Regional Playoffs will be hosted by the loser of this Saturday’s game between Lower Columbia College and Tacoma Community College.

If the Tritons win the Regional Playoffs, they will earn a chance to participate in the NWAC Baseball Championship, scheduled from May 25 to May 29 in Longview, Wash. A single tournament pass for a student spectator is $30. More information can be found at http://www.nwacsports.org/baseball/championship/.