VANCOUVER, Wash. -
Game 1 - Clark College battled until the final out on Friday afternoon but came up just short in a 7–6 loss to Olympic College in a tightly contested NWAC matchup at home.
Despite a strong offensive showing highlighted by Evan McGuire's 3-for-4 day with three RBIs, the Penguins couldn't overcome a rough middle inning that saw the Rangers plate four runs in the sixth.
Clark matched Olympic with 10 hits and showed resilience throughout, clawing back from a 6–3 deficit in the later innings. Kaiden Hernandez continued his hot streak at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI, a sacrifice fly, and a stolen base. Landon Criste added a key RBI double in the ninth to bring Clark within one, but the Penguins left the tying and go-ahead runs stranded.
The defensive miscues proved costly, as two of Olympic's biggest innings were aided by errors from Clark's infield, including a costly one in the sixth that led to three unearned runs. The Rangers took full advantage, with Ky-Mani Corpuz's two-run double and Yuji Imai's RBI grounder swinging momentum firmly in Olympic's favor.
Clark's bullpen kept the game within reach, with Rylan Taguchi tossing four solid innings and limiting further damage after the sixth. Offensively, the Penguins made Olympic work on the mound, drawing eight walks and pressuring both Silas Stenerson and Nathan Burke, who combined for 173 pitches over nine innings.
In the bottom of the ninth, Clark rallied again. After Hernandez singled and McGuire delivered an RBI base hit, Criste's double made it a one-run game. But Olympic closed the door just in time, forcing a flyout to end the game.
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Game 2 - Clark College exploded for six runs in the fifth inning and held off a late push from Olympic College to secure an 8–6 victory on Saturday in NWAC action.
The Penguins erased an early 3–0 deficit with a mix of power hitting and patient at-bats, capitalizing on seven walks and timely hits. Clark scored six of its eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings, capped by Andrew Israel's two-run double that broke the game open. Israel finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two doubles, leading the offensive charge.
Evan McGuire added a solo home run in the fourth and scored twice, while Trevin Long chipped in a three-hit performance with an RBI. In total, Clark racked up eight hits and kept pressure on Olympic's pitching throughout the afternoon.
On the mound, Kenneth Hall gave the Penguins a steady start, allowing just one earned run across four innings while striking out two. Terrance Cheyne and Bryce Dodge combined to handle the final three innings, giving up two unearned runs as Clark's defense was tested late.
Olympic took an early 3–0 lead in the top of the fourth, aided by a passed ball and two unearned runs. But Clark quickly answered back, beginning with McGuire's home run and then stringing together quality at-bats in a chaotic fifth that featured a sac fly, a walk with the bases loaded, and several run-scoring hits.
Despite a few late-inning miscues, including a passed ball and an error that led to two Olympic runs, Clark held firm. The bullpen limited Olympic to just four hits over seven innings and stranded key runners in the final frames.
With the win, Clark earns a gritty 12-12 conference record and 3rd place in the West region. The Penguins will travel to Umpqua next week to begin their Supergional play.
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