Linn-Benton Punches Ticket to 3rd-Straight Championship Monday with 9-1 Win Over Lane

LONGVIEW, Wash. - The Linn-Benton Roadrunners will play on a third-straight championship Monday as they defeated region rival Lane 9-1 in Game 13 of the 2026 NWAC Baseball Championship on Sunday at David Story Field.

After dropping their opening game of the tournament, the Roadrunners have won three-straight to games to still have a chance to win a third-straight championship. LBCC will play Lower Columbia, also winners of three straight, in Game 14 at noon on Monday with the winner facing Lane for the title at approximately 3:35 p.m.

The Roadrunners got ahead early with a run in the second inning as Noah Scharer scored on a wild pitch. Then in the fourth, Nick Biagi and Kellen Segel lifted a pair of two-run home runs to give the Beaks a 5-0 lead. LBCC added on with four more runs in the sixth as Mark Carpenter and Jackson Fera each drove in a pair with doubles as they cruised to the victory.

Lane's Brennan Herr broke up the shutout in the seventh with an RBI double.

Lane Simonsen earned the start for LBCC as he pitched six innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts. Kyle Miller threw two shutout frames and Preston Daniels finished the game with a perfect ninth to close out the victory.

Despite the loss, Lane still plays for the championship on Monday as the last team to lose a game in the tournament. The Titans get to await the winner of Game 14 between LBCC and Lower Columbia. If Lane had won on Sunday, they would have had two chances to beat Lower Columbia to win the title.

With the three teams remaining, Linn-Benton looks for its third-straight title, their fourth in the past five seasons and sixth all-time. Lower Columbia hopes to claim its 16th title all-time, second behind Yakima Valley. The Red Devils last won in 2023. Lane looks for its third title all-time but first since 2004.