SPOKANE — Walla Walla Community College and Spokane, two of three teams battling for the NWAC East’s final playoff spots, split their baseball doubleheader here on Wednesday.
Spokane handed Walla Walla a 7-3 loss in the first game, but the Warriors bounced back with a 6-3 win in the nightcap.
Treasure Valley, the other team in the mix, split its Wednesday twin bill at Blue Mountain.
By day’s end, Walla Walla remained in third place with a 16-10 record.
The Warriors are one game ahead of Treasure Valley (15-11), two up on Spokane (14-12), and the regular season will end with three big doubleheaders this Saturday.
Third- and fourth-place teams qualify for cross-regional tournaments, so the Warriors could clinch their spot with at least one more victory.
The Warriors could also very well take second place when they visit Yakima Valley for a doubleheader on Saturday. Walla Walla trails the Yaks (17-9 record) by a game.
Second-place teams host the regionals.
While the Warriors challenge Yakima on Saturday, Treasure Valley will play two games at last-place Wenatchee and Spokane must vists first-place Columbia Basin for a twin bill.
In the first game, Spokane’s Kade Woods threw a complete-game victory, striking out seven Warriors.
Colton Peha led WWCC with three hits in the game
Walla Walla helped its campaign with a victory in the nightcap to salvage the split with the Sasquatch on Wednesday.
Warrior pitcher Clark Streby turned in a complete-game performance. He limited Spokane to single runs three seperate innings while scattering nine singles and a walk, while recording six strikeouts.
Meanwhile, teammate Josh Kutzke went 3-for-6 with three runs batted in for the victorious Warriors, while Larry DeWitt was 3-for-4.
“Clark was outstanding for us on the mound, and Josh had some big hits to drive in runs,” Walla Walla coach Dave Meliah said.
