TACOMA, WA - Clark College battled through a tough doubleheader on the road but came up short in both games against Tacoma on April 9, showing flashes of offensive production despite falling 6–4 and 13–3.
In the opener, Clark put together one of its more complete offensive efforts of the day, racking up 10 hits and applying steady pressure throughout. Drew Yount led the way with a standout performance, going 3-for-5 with a double and a triple, while Caden Taylor and Kaedon Cruse each drove in runs in key moments.
The Penguins jumped out early, taking a 2–0 lead through three innings. DJ Ringenbach opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second, and Kobin Mullins added pressure on the bases that led to another run in the third.
Tacoma responded with a three-run third inning to take control, but Clark refused to go away. Taylor delivered an RBI double in the fourth to tie the game at 3–3, continuing a back-and-forth battle.
The turning point came in the sixth when Tacoma capitalized on timely hitting to plate two runs and extend its lead. Cruse answered with an RBI double in the seventh to pull Clark within two, but the Penguins couldn't find the final push despite solid late relief work from Riley Cornman and Cole Robinson, who combined to hold Tacoma scoreless over the final innings.
Game two proved more challenging, as Tacoma erupted early with a six-run first inning and never looked back. Clark's pitching staff struggled to find rhythm out of the gate, issuing seven walks and hitting multiple batters as Tacoma built a commanding lead.
Despite the deficit, Clark continued to compete offensively. DJ Ringenbach was a bright spot, going a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI, while Caden Taylor added two hits and drove in a run. The Penguins pushed across two runs in the third inning and added another in the sixth, but couldn't overcome the early gap.
Ethan Scott provided a positive note out of the bullpen in game two, tossing three scoreless innings and striking out three to stabilize things late.
Across both games, Clark showed resilience and depth at the plate, with multiple players contributing key hits and continuing to compete in every inning.
The Penguins will look to regroup and bounce back when Tacoma comes to town on Friday.
