Coffman’s complete-game shutout finishes UCC’s sweep of No. 3 Linn-Benton
The Umpqua Riverhawks baseball team picked up a pair of important wins on Thursday as it finished out the first of three rotations through the Northwest Athletic Conference South Region schedule.
The Riverhawks pounced on miscues by Linn-Benton in the opener of a league doubleheader to win 7-1 and then finished the sweep with a 2-0 win in the nightcap from Bill Gray Legion Stadium at Champion Car Wash Field.
Linn-Benton (11-3-1, 7-4 South Region), ranked third in the NWAC coaches poll, started the day with a three-game lead for first place in the South standings. Umpqua (10-12, 7-5) moved into sole possession of second place with the sweep and drew within one-game of the Roadrunners.
“Coach (Jacob) Whisler was talking about it at the end. There’s nobody in the league that’s unbeatable. It’s just who we are on the day, if we show up or not. And if we do, we can beat anyone,” said Sam Coffman, who finished off the sweep with a dominant complete-game shutout in Game 2.
Coffman had a season-high nine strikeouts over seven innings, allowing just two hits and a pair of walks to earn his fourth win of the year. The Denver native has now thrown a complete-game shutout in his last two starts.
“Somewhere in that second or third start I just realized, just go out there and compete as hard as I can and whatever happens, happens. And that seems to be working for me,” Coffman said.
The sophomore said “obviously that’s a big series, but I just try to treat it like any other team. I’m not going to change how I throw.”
The Riverhawks gave Coffman a lead with an unearned run in the fourth inning and added an insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Thomsen.
Linn-Benton starter Jake Von Lubken also pitched a complete-game. He worked around six hits, including doubles by Carson Dunn and Jeremiah Robbins. Von Lubken walked one, struck out two and hit one batter.
Umpqua took advantage of four errors by Linn-Benton in the opener. Daniel Withers, Noah Cox, Payton Smith and Robbins all batted in runs for the ‘Hawks.
Logan Robinson picked up the win after seven innings of work. The sophomore allowed just one run on five hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.
The Riverhawks begin their second rotation through the league schedule with a road trip to Salem for a doubleheader against Chemeketa starting at noon on Thursday.
First Game
LBCC;001;000;000;—;1;5;5
Umpqua;200;002;12X;—;7;7;0
Mendez, Flores (5), Dewey (7), Joyce (8), Rivers (8) and Logan; L. Robinson, Victoravich (8) and Robbins. W — L. Robinson (2-2). L — Mendez (1-1). 2B — O’Malley (UCC), Stoddard (UCC), Cox (UCC).
Second Game
LBCC;000;000;0;—;0;2;1
Umpqua;000;101;X;—;2;6;1
Von Lubken and Caron; Coffman and Robbins. W — Coffman (4-0). L — Von Lubken (1-1). 2B — Robbins (UCC), Dunn (UCC).
