LEWISTON, Idaho – Evan Canfield and
Jordan Lennartson combined for 16 strikeouts to help top-seeded No. 4 LC State defeat fourth-seeded Bushnell (Ore.) 6-4 to open postseason play in the 2026 Cascade Conference Baseball Championship, presented by U.S. Bank. The Warriors will face second-seeded No. 24 British Columbia at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at Harris Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Back-to-back doubles by
Brandon Nguyen and
Jackson Jaha erased a run scored by Bushnell in the first inning.
Bryce Johnson was hit by a pitch and an error on a ball hit by
Jackson Reed had the Warriors in front 2-1.
Canfield struck out the side in order in the top of the third, and
Izzy Madariaga drove the first pitch of the LC State half of the inning over the wall in right center.
Bushnell tallied a run in the fourth on two hits and LC State manufactured a run in the home half of the frame.
Ryan Prescott doubled to start the inning and took third on a wild pitch.
Payton Smith drove in the run with a sacrifice fly. Nguyen, who reentered the contest after the LC State Athletic Trainers triaged his dislocated finger in the first inning, notched his second double of the contest and scored on a wild pitch for a 5-2 advantage.
Canfield limited the damage in the fifth inning and recorded his season-high 10
th strikeout to get LC State out of a jam. The Beacons notched a run on three hits to cut the lead to 5-3.
Reed destroyed a baseball in the fifth with a blast that bounced off the Tennis Center in right.
Bryce Johnson countered a botched pick-off attempt at first with a laser throw to third to cut down the runner and end the top of the sixth.
Lennartson closed out the contest with a pair of strikeouts in the top of the ninth to limit Bushnell to one run in the inning.
STAT RECAP
Canfield and Lennartson both had career-high strikeouts on the day. Canfield fanned 10 in five innings and Lennartson punched out six in his four frames. Canfield earned his eighth win, and Lennartson was awarded his sixth save of the season.
Nguyen and Smith each had two hits in the game and four different Warriors drove in a run.
UP NEXT
LC State will face CCC rival UBC on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Harris Field to continue the CCC tournament.
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.
