UCC Riverhawks Baseball 3-4 Linn-Benton

Tristan Ledbetter delivered seven shutout innings of dominant pitching, but the UCC Riverhawks couldn't hold onto their early lead in a heartbreaking 4-3 conference baseball loss at Linn-Benton on Friday.

Ledbetter was masterful through seven frames, allowing just five hits while striking out seven batters without issuing a walk. The sophomore right-hander kept the Roadrunners off the scoreboard entirely, giving his offense every opportunity to build on their 2-0 first-inning advantage.

Trevor Ratliff led the Riverhawks' offensive attack, going 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Shiloh Wilson and Jackson Thomsen each crossed the plate once, with Wilson and Thomsen both recording hits in the losing effort. Jeremiah Robbins added an RBI single for UCC.

The game remained scoreless after UCC's early burst until Linn-Benton finally broke through in the sixth inning. The Roadrunners added another run in the seventh to tie it 2-2, then delivered the knockout punch with two runs in the eighth inning. UCC managed one run in the eighth but couldn't complete the comeback.

Josh Jackson took the loss in relief, walking three batters in just one-third of an inning as UCC's bullpen struggled in the crucial late frames.

The loss drops UCC to 17-8 overall as conference play continues to intensify. The Riverhawks will look to bounce back and get back on track in their next conference matchup.