KELSO, WA - Clark College faced a tough test on the road Friday, dropping both games of a softball doubleheader to Lower Columbia College at Heerensperger Field in Kelso, but showed flashes of resilience and offensive potential throughout the day.
In the opener, the Penguins (7–29 at the time) held their own early, keeping the game scoreless through the first two innings while working through early pressure from a potent Lower Columbia lineup. The Red Devils broke through in the third inning with a five-run surge, highlighted by a three-run home run from Zoey Hughes that gave the hosts a 5–0 lead.
Clark continued to compete and answered in the fifth inning when Delaney Bollman drove in Zoey Mikkelsen with a double to get the Penguins on the board. Bollman led the offense with two hits, while Rylee Purdom and Mikkelsen also contributed extra-base hits as Clark collected five hits against a strong pitching performance from Hughes.
Lower Columbia added three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to secure a 9–1 win, capitalizing on a combination of timely hitting and patience at the plate. Clark's pitching staff, led by Shayla Seppala with relief from Tessa Treesh and Mylee Burrows, battled through multiple innings against consistent offensive pressure.
The second game saw Lower Columbia jump out even quicker. The Red Devils scored five runs in the first inning and added two more in the second to take early control. Clark struggled to generate offense early but found a key moment in the fourth inning.
Dajah Paz delivered the highlight of the day for the Penguins, blasting a two-run home run to score Jessica Tomberlin and cut into the deficit. The swing accounted for Clark's only hit of the game but showcased the team's ability to respond against top-level pitching.
Any momentum was short-lived, however, as Lower Columbia answered with a 13-run fourth inning to put the game out of reach. The inning featured a barrage of extra-base hits and run production from throughout the lineup, underscoring the depth and firepower that has fueled the Red Devils' dominant season.
Clark's pitching staff rotated through multiple arms, with Kairi Rowand taking the loss and Delaney Bollman, Shayla Seppala, and Tessa Treesh all seeing time in the circle as the Penguins worked to navigate a relentless offensive attack.
Clark (7–30) finished the day with moments of promise, particularly from Bollman's production in the opener and Paz's home run in the nightcap. While the final scores reflected the strength of a Lower Columbia team that improved to 36–2, the Penguins showed continued effort and flashes of execution that they will look to build on moving forward.
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