Lewis-Clark State College will host the Cascade Conference baseball championship starting Thursday, with the Warriors entering as the tournament’s top seed after a dominant regular season.
The Warriors finished the regular season with a 38-7 record and climbed to No. 4 in the latest NAIA national rankings. The three-day, five-team tournament gives LC State home-field advantage at Harris Field, where the team lost only two games all season.
Tournament Format and Schedule
Opening-round action begins Thursday morning when No. 4 seed Bushnell faces No. 5 seed Oregon Tech at 11:00 a.m. The Warriors will take the field Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. against the winner of that game.
LC State swept Oregon Tech 4-0 in their regular-season series and took the series against Bushnell 4-3. Regardless of Thursday’s outcome, the Warriors are guaranteed games on both Friday and Saturday as the tournament continues through the weekend.
The tournament champion earns an automatic berth to the NAIA national tournament.
Individual Standouts Lead Warriors
Jackson Jaha paced the conference in multiple offensive categories during the regular season, posting a .429 batting average, .535 on-base percentage, and .762 slugging percentage. Brandon Nguyen contributed power with 12 home runs, ranking fifth in the conference.
Head coach Kirk Robbins also highlighted the contributions of Sam Webber, who has played shortstop, center field, first base, and third base this season before settling back into center field. Robbins praised Webber’s willingness to move around the diamond as critical to the team’s chemistry.
Home-Field Advantage
The Warriors will play the remainder of their season in the Lewis-Clark Valley. Robbins noted the significance of hosting the tournament after seeing strong fan support throughout the year.
“The crowds have been phenomenal,” Robbins said in remarks to local media. “Our players see it and talk about it, and they love playing here.”
The coach, who is in his seventh season at LC State, said this year’s attendance has been the best he has seen during his tenure.
What Comes Next
The Warriors will aim to convert their regular-season success into a conference championship and automatic qualification for the NAIA national tournament. All tournament games will be played at Harris Field in Lewiston, with the championship scheduled to be decided by Saturday. Tickets are available through the college’s athletics department.