Trojans Advance to Final 6, but fall in 13 Innings to Spokane, Ends Season

Everett, WA - The 2024 season came to an end on Saturday afternoon, after a 13-inning showdown with Spokane in which the Trojans came up short 3-2.  Everett advanced to the final 6 of the NWAC Championship tournament, defeating Blue Mountain CC 3-1 on Thursday, but falling to #1 ranked Linn-Benton in another tight contest, 4-3 on Friday.  The loss put EvCC in the loser-out game against Spokane on Saturday, a team that won the east region and took three out of four games against the Trojans in a series back in February.  

Everett jumped out to an early lead with a run-scoring ground out by Carson Burns to score Isaac Hoag. Jake Lockwood added onto the Trojans lead in the fourth inning with an RBI double to score Burns.  Starting pitcher Landon Welter went 6.1 shutout innings, leaving the game in the 7th inning with two runners on.  AJ Hendrickson came in for relief who was steller in game one of the tournament.  He got his first batter faced to line out, but the next Sasquatch batter got a single that drove in the two runs to tie the game at 2-2.  That is where the game would remain knotted for the next 6 innings before Spokane was finally able to drive in a run in the top of the 13th.  Blake Sandvik came out of the pen in the 10th to pitch 4 innings, and struck out 5 batters, giving up 4 hits and the one earned run.  

In extra innings, the Trojans had two hits with two runners left on base.  Isaac Hoag was able to reach 2nd base in the bottom of the 10th on a single and was moved over on Jonah Shull's fielder's choice, but was unable to get home.  Spokane's pitching was solid, and held EvCC to just 6 hits on the game, all of them singles except for Jake Lockwood's double in the 4th inning.  

The ending to the season was not as hoped for, but there was much to be proud of as the Trojans claimed their 4th North Region Title in the past five years.  The 31-16 record is the program's 12th season with 30 or more wins in the past 22 seasons and 10 Trojans received post season honors this year.  Micah Coleman, Isaac Hoag, NateDavis, and Cooper McBride were named Second Team All North Region.  Ethan Hubbell, Wyatt Queen, Blake Sandvik, Jonah Shull, and Axel Puls were named First Team All Region.  Axel Puls and Colin Beazizo received Gold Glove Awards, with Ezra Lacina being named north region assistant coach of the year, and Keith Hessler in his second season (4th total with the program) as the North Region Coach of the Year.