Red Devils Earn Spot on Championship Monday with Come From Behind 6-5 Win Over Everett

LONGVIEW, Wash. - The Lower Columbia Red Devils punched their ticket to Monday's Championship Day with a 6-5 win over Everett on Sunday in Game 12 of the 2026 NWAC Baseball Championship at David Story Field.

The Red Devils fell behind 4-0 after two innings, but exploded for five runs in the third inning to defeat the tough Trojans. Starting pitcher Justin Fuller was at the forefront of the comeback as after giving up the four runs, he responded with five straight shutout innings, gritting through 121 pitches. After giving up a leadoff solo home run in the top of the eighth, closer Matthew Kosderka came in and earned a two-inning save, striking out five batters.

Leading by one in the ninth, Everett looked to tie the score or take the lead. Blake Skinner led off the inning with a single, but Jaylen Kennedy made a huge play to pickoff Skinner at first base for the first out. Kosderka struck out the next hitter to put the Trojans down to their last out. Things got interesting as Dawson Sugawa reached after a spinning popup in the infield found dirt. Then Kai Miller struck out swinging, but the ball got to the back stop and Miller reached base to put the tying run at second. Kosderka got what could have been the fifth out of the inning and his third punchout to close out the win.

Everett opened the game with two runs in each of the first two innings. Davis Downer brought home the first run on an RBI groundout and Lucas Coma had a two-out single to make it 2-0. In the second, Miller hit a two-run home run to give the Trojans a commanding 4-0 advantage.

The Red Devils responded with their third five-run inning in as many games in the bottom of the third. Sam Davidson got things going with a one-out single before Karsten Hansen grounded one to second that looked to be a possible inning ending double play, but an error by Everett resulted in no outs and opened the door for LCC. Kennedy made them pay with a two-run double as Hansen was initially called out at the plate but after a challenge by LCC, was ruled safe. Everett starting pitcher Chase Halvorson struck out the next batter, but another error kept the inning going with two outs. The Red Devils once again made Everett pay as Martyn Hernandez hit a two-run double and Harlan Rowe gave LCC the lead with another double to go up 5-4.

Lower Columbia added a run in the fifth as Jaylen Kennedy scored on a wild pitch. Everett got one back on Talan Zenk's leadoff solo home run in the eighth inning but could not get the tying run across against Kosderka.

Halvorson pitched 2.1 innings for Everett with five strikeouts, with four of the five runs he allowed unearned. Hiroshi Johnson was strong in relief with four punchouts across 4.1 innings, with one run allowed.

Lower Columbia advances to Championship Monday and will need two wins to hoist the trophy at the end of the day. They will first face Linn-Benton at 12 p.m. with the winner facing Lane at approximately 3:35 p.m. for the title.

Everett finishes its outstanding season with a fourth place finish as the Trojans went 43-11 overall and co-North Region Champions.