It took until the last day of the season, but the Clark College baseball team is headed for the NWAC playoffs.
The Penguins (21-22, 14-10 NWAC South) swept Linn-Benton in an NWAC South regional doubleheader on Saturday at Albany, Ore., 17-6 and 5-4, to earn the playoff spot.
And for a team that was 2-11 early in the season, the Penguins sure rallied.
“People thought it was an improbable dream, but our guys grind,” Clark coach Mark Magdaleno said. “This is huge for the program. It is the foundation of what we are trying to build.”
After a split with the Roadrunners on Friday, Clark got the boost it needed in the first game Saturday.
The Penguins pounded out 12 hits and had a pair of seven-run innings.
Marco Murillo was a key to the offense, going 2 for 5 with a home run, five RBI and three runs scored.
Chris Carns (4-3) earned the win. He struck out eight and walked three. (Click here for complete Game 1 boxscore)
The second game was the complete opposite as the Penguins scored five runs on just three hits. They also used four pitchers, with Peyton Burks (2-1) getting the win.
Clark was trailing 4-3 when it scored twice in the fifth inning for the go-ahead run.
Magdaleno said shortstop Alec Cook “snagged the ball” for the final out with Linn-Benton runners at second and third.
Kaden Betsch had two RBI for Clark. (Click here for complete Game 2 boxscore)
Next for Clark will be a best-of-three crossover series for a spot into the NWAC Championship at Story Field in Longview. Dates and opponent for the playoff series were still to be determined Saturday night.
Track and field
Southern Region Championship — Clark athletes won the men’s and women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase and both Clark teams finished third in the team standings.
Sadie Dalgleish won the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 12 minutes, 6.97 seconds, while Isaac Stinchfield, a Washougal High grad, won the men’s race in 9:49.14.
In other women’s results for Clark:
Jazzmine Rowland was second in the 400 (1:02.17); Alanni Wingert was second in the 800 (2:21.33); Taylor Troupe was second in long jump (5.52 meters); Guadalupe Mendoza was second in discus (35.72m); Tresa Marsh was third in the 5,000 (19:46.50); Breanna Munson third in the high jump (1.48m); and Olivia Rose was third in the triple jump (11.15m).
The Clark women scored 98 points for third place behind Lane (305) and Clackamas (114).
In other men’s results for Clark:
Zach Kanelis was second in the 800 (1:58.94); Thomas Normandeau was second in the 1,500 (4:02.19); Sam Garvin was third in the 1,500 (4:03.58) and third in the 5,000 (15:36.13); Dan Nehnevaj was second in the 5,000 (15:22.73); Te’kwon Wallace was third in the 400 (58.45); Clark was second in 400 and 1,600 relays; Tupre Wickliff was third in the high jump (1.85m); and Quentin Sills was third in javelin (53.16m).
