Cougars Take Series from Conference Champion Feather River in Statement Weekend
Game 1: Lassen Walks Off Conference Champs in Extra-Inning Thriller
With Feather River College already having clinched the conference title, Lassen College made a loud statement on April 17, battling past the champions 3-2 in a dramatic 10-inning walk-off victory in Susanville. The Cougars showed toughness all night, matching Feather River pitch for pitch before delivering the final blow in extra innings.
Lassen got on the board first in the third inning when Jack Zimmerman lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing home Hayden Pietras for a 1-0 lead. Feather River tied the game in the fourth and later grabbed a 2-1 advantage in the eighth, but the Cougars refused to fold. In the bottom of the inning, pressure on the bases forced a throwing error that allowed Zimmerman to score the tying run.
The game stayed deadlocked until the 10th inning when Jackson Rosenthal reached and Damico Parker advanced into scoring position. Ethan Beede then delivered the clutch moment of the night, ripping a walk-off RBI single to secure the upset victory and send the Cougar dugout into celebration.
Zimmerman finished with two hits and an RBI, Pietras went 2-for-2 with a run scored, and Beede delivered the game-winning hit. On the mound, Evan Rhoden was outstanding, allowing just one earned run over seven innings. Kyson Goates slammed the door in relief, striking out five over three innings to earn the win as Lassen knocked off the conference champions in one of the team’s biggest wins of the season.
Game 2: Lassen Outlasts Feather River 8-7 to Claim Huge Road Win
The Cougars followed up Friday’s emotional victory with another impressive performance on April 18, defeating Feather River 8-7 on the road to take the series from the conference champions. Lassen’s offense stayed aggressive throughout the afternoon, piling up 12 hits while using speed, patience, and timely hitting to control the game.
Lassen jumped ahead early with a three-run second inning sparked by Spencer Truebenbach and Kylan Kono. The Cougars extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth when Mason Montoya crushed a two-run home run to center field. Feather River answered with runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, but Lassen consistently had a response.
Kono delivered one of his best games of the year, driving in four runs, including key RBIs in both the second and seventh innings. Montoya added two RBIs and a homer, while Ethan Beede finished with two hits and an RBI. Truebenbach scored twice and added an RBI, while Roque Serrano and Hayden Pietras helped keep traffic on the bases all afternoon.
Feather River closed within one run late, but Lassen’s pitching staff held on. Ben Lukens gave the Cougars a solid start before Caden Fowler came through with 4.1 innings in relief to earn the win.