After more than a year without NWAC baseball, eight teams would kick off the opening weekend and officially complete the checklist of every level of college baseball in the northwest being played. For me personally, there was a time I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to cover NWAC baseball again, and to now be here with the new site writing up recap articles and prepping to actually make it out to some games is exciting.
South Region
SWOCC vs Umpqua – In a matchup of the two most southern teams in the NWAC, Umpqua would earn the series win, taking 3 games against SWOCC. Austin Anderson (Umpqua) would pitch 6 innings, striking out 10 and combine with Preston Johnson (3 IP, 4 K’s) to throw a no-hitter. SWOCC’s first win of the year would come on the back of an outstanding pitching performance by Micah Del Rio who would go 8 innings striking out 10 and only allowing 1 hit.
Chemeketa vs Clackamas – Chemeketa came out hot offensively on Friday scoring 21 runs in the first two games. A weather postponement of another weekend double header to Monday wouldn’t slow them down, as they would score 18 more runs completing the 4 game sweep. Noah Juarez would tally 7 hits over the weekend and Nolan Thebiay would have a great outing throwing 8 innings only giving up 4 hits, 1 run, 0 walks while striking out 11.
Lane vs Linn Benton – Linn Benton started off the 2021 season earning a series win taking 3 of 4 games over the weekend. Ruben Cedillo would collect at least one hit in each of the four games and would total 7 hits and 6 runs scored. Eric Hill and Rhett Larson would combine for a shutout victory for Linn Benton, while Matt Dallas and Oliver Massie would combine for a shutout giving Lane their win over the weekend.
East Region
Spokane vs Big Bend – What was scheduled to be a 4 game series got cut down to a 2 game set due to high winds. Spokane would take the double header winning 9-6 and 5-3. Cameron Liss would start the season with a strong but short outing pitching 4 innings only allowing 2 hits and 0 runs while striking out 6. Jordan Summers would go 2-4 with a double, 3 runs scored and 2 RBI in game 1, and Braeden Cordes would go 2-3 with a double and 2 RBI in game 2.