Butte Holds Off Lassen 4-3 in Hard-Fought Battle

On March 8, 2025, Lassen College's baseball team fell to Butte College in a tight 4-3 contest. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams displaying solid defense and pitching. Lassen took an early lead in the first inning, as Kylan Kono singled in Brock Bunker to put the Cougars ahead 1-0. Butte responded in the third when Grant Sonke stole home to tie the game at 1-1.

Lassen regained the lead in the fifth inning when Kono again came through with a clutch hit, this time a bunt single that scored Mitchell Basterrechea. However, Butte quickly answered in the sixth. Carter Imbach doubled in Trent Van Nuys, followed by a RBI double from Riley Pimentel to give Butte a 3-2 advantage. Lassen was not done, as Bunker singled in Eli Hernandez in the bottom of the sixth to knot the score at 3-3.

The game remained tied until the eighth inning, when Butte's Drew Carrington singled in Brent Gallegos to give his team a 4-3 lead. Despite a late rally attempt from Lassen, Butte's pitching held firm, and the Cougars were unable to produce any more runs. Butte's bullpen, led by Gino Marble, kept Lassen at bay, with Marble earning the win and Brent Gallegos securing the save.

Lassen’s offense struggled to capitalize on opportunities throughout the game, leaving 12 runners on base. Kono, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, was the standout performer for the Cougars, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Butte’s timely hitting and solid pitching. The loss dropped Lassen’s record to 14-7-1, while Butte improved to 14-11 on the season.