ALBANY, Ore. - Game One - The Clark College Penguins jumped out to an early lead but couldn't hold off a late push, falling 8-5 on the road against Linn-Benton on Saturday.

Clark showed resilience throughout, highlighted by a four-run second inning that put the Penguins in control early.

After two quick outs in the top of the second, Clark's student-athletes sparked an offensive surge. Drew Yount delivered the big swing of the inning, doubling to right field to drive in two runs and give the Penguins momentum. Kobin Mullins followed with a single, and Jase Pashales added an RBI base hit to extend the lead. Taddeo Ituarte capped the rally with an RBI single of her own as Clark strung together five hits in the inning to take a 4-0 advantage.

Pashales paced the offense with multiple hits and an RBI, consistently putting pressure on Linn-Benton's defense. Yount finished with a key two-RBI double and reached base again later in the contest, continuing her steady production at the plate. Ituarte contributed both offensively and defensively, adding an RBI and drawing a walk.

Clark continued to find baserunners throughout the game. Jacob Lee reached safely three times, including two singles and a walk, and showcased aggressive base running with a stolen base. Lucas Tiernan added a pair of hits, and Kaeden Cruse chipped in with multiple singles and a ninth-inning RBI that brought the Penguins within striking distance.

On the mound, Clark saw efforts from Cruse, Rylan Taguchi, Riley Cornman, and Cole Robinson, with the staff working to limit damage in key spots. The Penguins turned in a strong defensive third and fifth inning, holding Linn-Benton hitless in both frames.

Clark mounted one final push in the ninth inning. Tiernan opened with a single before Yount and Mullins drew walks to load the bases. Cruse worked a bases-loaded walk to score a run, cutting into the deficit and keeping hope alive. However, Linn-Benton recorded the final out to secure the win.

Despite the result, Clark demonstrated offensive depth and resilience, tallying 12 hits and showcasing contributions throughout the lineup. The Penguins' ability to generate scoring opportunities and string together competitive at-bats remains a positive as they continue conference play.

Game two - The second game of Friday's double-header was a pitcher's duel. Clark dropped a tightly contested 3-2 decision to Linn-Benton despite strong performances from several Clark student-athletes.

Both teams came out sharp defensively, with neither side recording a hit through the first two innings. Clark's defense set the tone early, holding the roadrunners hitless in the first and stranding runners in scoring position in both the second and third innings.

Clark broke through in the top of the third. Caden Taylor sparked the offense with a single to right and aggressively advanced to third on a throwing error. After Jacob Lee and Drew Yount worked walks to load the bases, Kobin Mullins delivered an RBI single to left, scoring Taylor and giving the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

The Penguins added to their advantage in the fourth inning. Lucas Tiernan led off with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice by DJ Ringenbach. Taylor came through again, singling to center field to plate Tiernan and extend the lead to 2-0. Taylor finished with a multi-hit performance and an RBI, providing a steady presence at the plate.

From the mound, Clark received solid efforts from Ronan Castelone and Colby Rice, who combined to limit damage and keep the game within reach. The defense also turned a key double play in the sixth inning, erasing a potential rally and showcasing the Penguins' discipline in the field.

Linn-Benton chipped away with single runs in the fifth, sixth, and eighth innings to edge ahead, but Clark continued to battle. In the sixth, the Penguins loaded the bases after Taylor singled, Reece Fisher was hit by a pitch, and Mullins was also hit by a pitch. However, Linn-Benton escaped the jam to maintain the slim margin.

Clark's offense was paced by Taylor's two-hit, one-RBI performance, Mullins' run-scoring single, and Tiernan's leadoff knock that led to a run. The Penguins showed patience at the plate, drawing multiple walks and creating scoring opportunities throughout the middle innings.

Despite the result, Clark's student-athletes demonstrated grit and competitive focus in a game that remained within one swing until the final out. The Penguins will look to carry that defensive sharpness and timely hitting into their next matchup tommorrow as the finish the four game road series vs the roadrunners.

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