VANCOUVER, WA- The road to Longview begins Friday for the Clark College baseball team as the Penguins prepare for the 2026 NWAC Super Regional round in Lynnwood, Washington.

After starting slow out of the gate with an 0-8 record, Clark enters postseason having gone 17-16 from there, including a 12-12 mark in regional action, earning the West Region's No. 4 seed.  While the Penguins regular season record may not intimidate opponents, they begin the postseason with one of the more experienced and balanced rosters in the bracket. Clark showed flashes of dominance late in the year, including a four-game sweep of Grays Harbor in which the Penguins outscored the Chokers 45-10. Clark also closed the regular season with important wins over Centralia and Pierce to secure its postseason berth.

"I think after the start we got off to this season, a lot of people kind of wrote us off," explained Penguin head coach Mark Magdaleno. "We started a lot of inexperienced guys at the beginning of the season, which led to some growing pains, but those guys continued to get better and we're a completely different team now."

Two freshman that have made the biggest strides sit at the top of the line-up and set the table for the Penguin offense. Infielder Caden Taylor has emerged as one of the top hitters in the NWAC. Taylor finished the regular season batting .358 with 53 hits, 36 RBIs, and a .449 on-base percentage while serving as the centerpiece of Clark's lineup.  Drew Yount has been equally important at the leadoff spot. Yount scored a team-high 35 runs and reached base at a .464 clip thanks to 30 walks and 21 hit-by-pitches. Another freshman, Kaeden Cruse, contributed 39 hits and 21 RBIs to provide balance throughout the batting order.

Clark's offensive identity has revolved around pressure and discipline rather than power. The Penguins hit .254 as a team, drew 181 walks, and were hit by pitches 96 times during the season. That ability to create traffic on the bases helped Clark score 240 runs despite hitting only four home runs all year. Sophomore Jase Pashales has provided the most pop in the line-up with multiple home runs and double digit extra base hits. Fellow sophomores Kobin Mullins (37 hits and 29 RBIs) and Rylan Taguchi (.434 OBP) have helped fill in the gaps and come up with several big hits down the stretch.

On the mound, the Penguins will lean heavily on one of the stronger top-three rotations in the region. Garrett Maunu has been Clark's workhorse, posting a 5-2 record with a 3.72 ERA across 67.2 innings while striking out 48 batters. Rylan Taguchi enters the postseason with a 2.97 ERA, two complete games, and four wins in 57.2 innings pitched. Kenneth Hall has quietly delivered one of the most efficient seasons on the staff. Hall finished with a 3.06 ERA while limiting opponents to a .219 batting average across 50 innings. Together, the trio gives Clark experienced postseason arms capable of keeping games close.

The Penguins will open the tournament against South Region power Umpqua in a best-of-three Super Regional series with a trip to the NWAC Championship Tournament on the line. In a win or go home first game, expect to see an all hands-on deck approach from Clark when it comes to the pitching staff. Any starter could see the mound. The bullpen could also play a major role in the tournament format. Trig Berens has been one of the Penguins' most reliable late-inning options, recording two saves while holding opponents to a .202 batting average.

The Super Regional format presents little margin for error. Historically, the NWAC postseason has produced tightly contested low-scoring games, and Clark experienced that firsthand during previous tournament appearances. This is, in fact, their fourth post season appearance in a row.

"It's survive and advance time," said Magdaleno. "We're really embracing the underdog role and have taken on the slogan of 'Clark vs. Everybody'. In some people's minds we're the sixteenth team out of sixteen in this tournament. That's fine with us. We told the story of David vs Goliah at practice this week. We're going to pick up our rock and chuck it."

For the Penguins, success this weekend will likely come down to timely hitting and limiting free bases. When Clark receives quality starts on the bump and puts pressure on opposing pitchers early, the Penguins have shown they can compete with anyone in the conference.

Now the focus shifts entirely to Umpqua and the opportunity ahead. With a veteran lineup, experienced starting pitching, and momentum from the final weeks of the season, Clark enters the postseason as a dangerous team capable of extending its season into the NWAC Championship Tournament in Longview.  "We're going to do what we always do and take a one pitch at a time mentality," Magdaleno concluded. "We're loose." 

First pitch of the Super Regional opener is scheduled for Friday, May 15 at 12 p.m. in Lynnwood, Washington. With a win, they would move on to play host Edmonds community college later in the day, with games two and three (if necessary) scheduled for Saturday.

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