Storm Weather the Night: Chemeketa Grabs First Win in Longview Split
Arm Day: Daravivanh, Garrett, and Petty Combine for 12 K's in First Win
LONGVIEW, Wash. — Baseball is a game of inches, and for the Chemeketa Storm, those inches finally tilted in their favor on Thursday night. After a grueling, 10-inning heartbreaker in the afternoon, the Storm bounced back under the lights at David Story Field to secure their first victory of the 2026 season with a gritty 2-1 win over Lower Columbia.
It wasn't just a win; it was a statement of resilience for a squad that had been knocking on the door of the win column all week.
Game 1: The Extra-Inning Heartbreaker
Final: Lower Columbia 4, Chemeketa 3 (10 Innings)
The opener was a classic pitcher's duel that refused to end in regulation. Chemeketa drew first blood in the second inning when L. Irish smoked an RBI single to plate S. Tsuma. The Storm showed extreme discipline at the plate throughout the day, drawing a massive 9 walks, with B. Curtiss leading the charge by reaching via base-on-balls three times.
Chemeketa appeared to have the momentum in the 5th, capitalizing on an LCC error to jump ahead 3-1. However, the Red Devils answered back immediately in the bottom half. Out of the bullpen, M. Eaton was sensational, tossing 4.0 innings of scoreless relief to push the game into extras.
Unfortunately, the walk-off bug bit the Storm in the 10th. A J. Cote single finally broke the deadlock, sending Chemeketa to a 0-5 start in the most painful way possible.
Game 2: The Breakthrough
Final: Chemeketa 2, Lower Columbia 1 (7 Innings)
With the sun down and the pressure up, the Storm pitching staff decided they weren't leaving Washington empty-handed. R. Daravivanh set a dominant tone early, punching out 6 batters over 4 scoreless innings.
The offense did just enough to support the arms:
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D. Rice continued his hot day, lining an RBI double in the 2nd.
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L. Irish provided the crucial insurance in the 4th with a deep sacrifice fly to left.
The story, however, was the bullpen. C. Garrett was untouchable, striking out 4 in 2.0 perfect innings of work to earn the win. In the 7th, things got interesting. L. Petty found himself in a jam as Lower Columbia pushed a run across and threatened to tie it, but he showed nerves of steel, fanning two batters to slam the door and earn the save.
Storm Standouts: Doubleheader Edition
| Player | Stats (Combined) | Impact |
| D. Rice (SS) | 2-for-6, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 Sac | The definition of a "clutch" bottom-of-the-order bat. |
| S. Tsuma (LF) | 2-for-4, 3 R, 2 SB | A constant threat on the basepaths all day. |
| B. Curtiss (DH) | 1-for-5, 3 BB, 2 SB | Professional ABs that kept the pressure on LCC. |
| The Bullpen | 7.2 IP, 2 ER, 7 K | Eaton, Garrett, and Petty stabilized the ship. |
The Candid Recap
Let's be real: starting 0-5 isn't the script anyone wrote. Losing Game 1 in the 10th could have easily deflated this group. Instead, the Storm came back and out-pitched a very talented, #1 Ranked Lower Columbia team in their own backyard.
The defense was crisp, the pitching was electric (averaging nearly 1.5 strikeouts per inning in Game 2), and the "zeros" finally started appearing on the scoreboard when they mattered most. The Storm returns home with the weight of the winless streak off their backs and a clear blueprint for success: dominant pitching and situational hitting.
"We played 17 innings of high-level baseball today. It wasn't perfect, but the way we responded in the nightcap shows the character of this Group." — Gerhett Moser
Photo Credit: The Athete Studio Instagram: @TheAthlete_Studio