UCC Riverhawks Baseball 3-4 Chemeketa

A 12-inning marathon ended in heartbreak for the UCC Riverhawks, who fell 4-3 to Chemeketa in a grueling conference baseball battle that stretched deep into extra innings Thursday.

The Riverhawks (18-10 overall) built an early 3-0 lead through four innings behind Taylor Davis's clutch hitting. The shortstop went 2-for-6 with two RBIs, providing the offensive spark UCC needed early. Trevor Ratliff and Jeremiah Robbins each contributed runs in the early going.

UCC's pitching staff delivered a masterful performance through regulation. Starter Tristan Ledbetter was outstanding, throwing 8.1 innings while allowing just five hits and no earned runs with four strikeouts. The Riverhawks held that 3-0 advantage until disaster struck in the ninth inning, when Chemeketa rallied for three runs to force extra innings.

Josh Jackson took the loss despite striking out four batters in 2.1 innings of relief work. Chemeketa's Brodan Curtiss drove in two runs to lead the comeback effort.

The marathon game showcased both teams' resilience, with neither club managing to score again until Chemeketa pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning.

This tough conference loss drops UCC below the .500 mark in league play as the season enters its final stretch. The Riverhawks will look to bounce back from this devastating defeat when they return to action this weekend.