Raiders Drop Conference Series to Red Devils

The Raiders hit the road on Saturday, March 28th, facing Lower Columbia in a conference doubleheader but came up short in both contests, falling 7-0 in game one and 2-1 in a 10-inning battle in game two. With the sweep, Pierce moves to 0-4 in West Region play.

Game 1: Lower Columbia 7, Pierce 0

Pierce struggled to generate offense in the opener, managing just five hits in the shutout loss. Kai Halstead led the way at the plate, going 2-for-4, while Nariyuki Dumlao, Tristan Ringrose, and Andrew Dyk each added a hit. Dumlao accounted for the Raiders’ lone extra-base hit with a double.

On the mound, Hunter Eisele got the start and took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) over 1.2 innings. Koshi Arai provided relief, tossing 6.1 innings while giving up five runs on six hits.

Lower Columbia capitalized early and steadily built their lead, keeping the Raiders off balance throughout the game.

Game 2: Lower Columbia 2, Pierce 1 (10 innings)

Game two turned into a tightly contested pitchers’ duel that extended beyond the typical seven innings, ultimately ending in heartbreak for Pierce in the 10th.

Pierce struck first in the fourth inning when Jackson Copeland delivered an RBI single to score Tristan Ringrose, giving the Raiders a 1-0 lead.

That lead held for much of the game thanks to a strong start from Santiago Guedez-Rodriguez, who allowed just one hit over 5.2 scoreless innings while striking out five. Braden Bedell and Broq Powlus combined in relief, but Lower Columbia managed to push across the tying and eventual winning runs late.

Offensively, Yacel Limonta led Pierce with a 2-for-4 performance, while Copeland, Kai Halstead, and Nariyuki Dumlao each contributed a hit. Halstead added a double, and Hudson Cunningham and Christian Dominno each recorded a stolen base.

Despite limiting Lower Columbia to just four hits, Pierce pitchers issued nine walks, which proved costly in the extra-inning loss.

Up Next

Pierce will look to bounce back on the road against Tacoma on Thursday, April 2nd, with first pitch scheduled for 12pm and 3pm. The Raiders will then return home to host Tacoma on Saturday, April 4th, with games set for 12pm. and 3pm.