Bellevue College baseball split both games of their two doubleheaders over the weekend in a series of games that was re-scheduled several times in order to adjust to a rainy weekend. The original format was to be a three-team event at Concordia University in Portland. However, field unavailability and weather concerns prompted a revision which had Bellevue playing Chemeketa (OR) on Friday March 13 at a neutral site, Saint Martin’s University and Tacoma CC on Saturday March 14 at Bannerwood Stadium.
On Friday, Bellevue won the opener behind the home run of Alex Check by a score of 5-2. Due to academic commitments, the Bulldogs arrived 20 minutes before first pitch and without any warm up, started off rusty as Chemeketa put down Bellevue’s hitters in the top of the first inning on only five pitches. Freshman Zach Usselman got Bellevue on the board in the second with a 2-RBI double. Check had a mammoth home run, a solo shot in the fourth, as Drew Lomsdalen held Chemeketa’s batters down, scattering only three hits through five innings of work for the win. Fellow freshman Andrew Medalia, coming in after a switch in sports after recently helping the Bellevue men’s basketball team to a fifth place finish at the NWAC Championships the weekend before, pitched two shutout innings to earn his first save of the year. In game two, Bellevue lost 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning on perhaps one of the most bizarre plays in history. With two outs and a Chemeketa runner at third base in the ninth, the Bulldogs appeared headed to extra innings. Pitcher Kash Koltermann struck out Chemeketa’s Ethan Bragg. As darkness prevailed (no lights at Saint Martin’s field) the pitch which was swung at and missed, but also went by Bellevue catcher Sam Finfer’s glove. Chemeketa’s Nick Livingston came home from third to score the game-winner.
On Saturday, Bellevue split a doubleheader with Tacoma, losing the opener 2-0 in a pitchers’ duel before winning the nightcap 7-1. The game was held at nearby Bannerwood Stadium, home field for Seattle University. The field, which features a brand new artificial turf surface, was used due to rain in the forecast. It was Bellevue’s first home game at Bannerwood since 1988. In game one, Tacoma’s Justin Vernia tossed a complete game shutout and won 2-0. Vernia, a third team junior college All-American last year, has already signed a national letter of intent to pitch at Gonzaga University, and has not allowed a run in his three starts this year. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter as he tossed his two-hit shutout. Bellevue had a runner in scoring position only once in the entire game. Marty Luckenbach made his first start in nearly three years and scattered only three hits and struck out five Tacoma batters in his four innings of work. In game two, Bellevue got on the board early by scoring five in the first inning. On the third pitch of the game, Tacoma starting pitcher Dustin Wilson, got his cleat stuck in the new artificial turf, and tripped while fielding a bunt by Bellevue’s Alex Galgano. During the fall, Wilson accidentally kicked the ball with his foot which luckily rolled right to the first baseman for an out. On the unfortunate side, Wilson’s injury forced him to exit the game. Bellevue’s hitters then reached base consecutively five times with a walk, hit batter, and three hits off Tacoma’s relief pitcher, who was forced to quickly enter the game due to the injury. The big blow came from Finfer, who delivered a two-RBI double to the deepest part of the park. Niko De La Cruz followed with another 2-RBI double. Bellevue pitchers Zander Clouse, Logan Christensen, Koleman Johns, and Noel Gonzalez pieced together a solid pitching effort. The four pitchers combined to scatter only four Tacoma hits while striking out 10 Titan hitters.
Bellevue is now 10-4 overall and will get another shot at Tacoma this weekend in the annual Tacoma-Pierce invite. On Saturday March 22, Bellevue is slated to play Treasure Valley (OR) at 1PM followed by a re-match with Tacoma at 4PM. Both games are scheduled to be at Tacoma CC. On Sunday, Bellevue will move over to Pierce’s home field, Mount Tahoma HS, for another doubleheader against Treasure Valley and Pierce at 1and 4PM respectively
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Last Updated December 8, 2020
