LC State loss ends season

LEWISTON — The Lewis-Clark State Warriors saw their season come to a close on Monday with a 4-2 loss to No. 9 Bellevue (Neb). The Warriors struck first, but could not come back after the Bruins scored four runs to stay alive in an NAIA World Series loser-out game.

After starter Gerald Hein struck out two in the top of the first, the Warriors (35-15-1) got to work at the plate to bring in the first run of Memorial Day. A walk to Thomas Lampkin Jr. came back to haunt the Bruins after the speedster stole second and came around to score on a single to right by Kyle Callahan.

Another strikeout by Hein and key defensive gems from Riley Way kept Bellevue off the board with LC in front 1-0.

Bellevue’s Travis Tanaka came up with a big two-RBI single in the top of the fifth to put the Bruins in front. Jesse Parker came on to relieve Hein with a runner in scoring position and got LC out of the inning with a strikeout.

Matt Becker took over on the mound in the top of the seventh and struck out a pair to hold the Bruins and keep LC within a run. Bellevue opened up the contest in the eighth with a pair of runs, pushing their lead to 4-1.

Kody Garvin ended his Warrior career with a solo shot over the batter’s eye in center to bring the score to 4-2, but that was all LC could bring across in the final inning of the game.

Callahan finished the day with two hits and an RBI.

The Warriors close out the season with a record of 35-14-1 and went 1-2 in the 2019 Avista NAIA World Series. LC won their eighth-straight NAIA West championship under first-year head coach Jake Taylor.

Bellevue (48-15) will face No. 5 seed Georgia Gwinnett (47-12) today.