EUGENE, Ore. – Mana Heffernan punched a bases loaded single through the left side of the infield in the bottom of the 15th inning on Friday night, lifting Bushnell to a 4-3 victory over Lewis-Clark State College and earning the double-header split.
 
Both games ended by a 4-3 final as the Warriors (32-5, 24-5 CCC), ranked No. 5 in the latest NAIA Coaches Poll took the opener before the Beacons (23-21, 15-16) proved victorious through sheer will in taking the nightcap and handing LC State just their fifth loss of the season.
 
"I am super proud of the resilience and fight today," said Head Coach Jamie Womack. That is the DNA of who this group truly is and I am proud that they got to display it. Now we just need to not ride the highs too high and come out ready to go tomorrow."    
 
GAME ONE: Lewis-Clark State 4, Bushnell 3
 
The Warriors came from behind in the opener scoring the winning run in the top of the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly.
 
Bushnell responded to an early deficit, having given up a pair of runs in the top of the first, only to have Dylan Carson and Caleb Richter tie the game in the second with a pair of solo home runs.
 
Albert Jennings lifted the Beacons to the lead in the third with an RBI single, only to have LC State tie things up in the top of the fifth on a balk.
 
Kai Keamo started for the Beacons and went five, striking out five batters before giving way to Jacob Courtney (0-3). Courtney gave up just one run on three hits and struck out three batters over the final four innings.
 
Carson and Richter each had two hits for the Beacons, who collected nine hits in the contest.  
 
GAME TWO: Bushnell 4, Lewis-Clark State 3 (15 Innings)
 
Pure pitching prowess was on display for both teams in the night cap as each squad went with just three pitchers in the 15-inning marathon, which became the longest game in Bushnell history.
 
Perhaps a product of two teams needing to stretch their bullpens across two more contests on Saturday, the result was six solid performances that struck out 24 combined hitters.
 
For the Warriors, Mason Goodson went six, giving up one run on three hits with six K's. Jackson Cloud followed with five innings, giving up two runs on four hits, while Joey Estrada (0-1) tossed the final 3.2 innings going scoreless until the winning run came in for Bushnell.
 
For the Beacons, freshman Griffen Sanchez was remarkable, throwing 96 pitches as he had the longest outing in school history with nine complete innings of work, striking out three and giving up eight hits. Jahshua Yacapin went two innings and gave up one run on one hit before giving way to Chase Marshall (pictured) . Marshall (3-0) closed out the final four innings with a season-defining performance as he struck out eight batters and gave up just one hit.
 
Scoring was difficult to come by, but the Warriors had gotten on base first with run in the second innings and a solo homer from Brandon Nguyen in the fifth to go up 2-0.
 
Bushnell got one back in the sixth on an Albert Jennings RBI double, his school-record 17th of the season. But the Beacons headed into the bottom of the ninth still trailing. Down to their final out, Danny Womack came through in the clutch, tying the game with a double, bringing home Richter who had reached on a walk.
 
The Warriors nearly ended the game in the 11th as Noah Weintraub hit a one-out homer to give the visitors the 3-2 edge. Bushnell responded in the bottom of the frame, however, as Eli Pupo walked and scored on Josh Miyazawa's single through the right side.
 
Neither team could come up with a hit over the next three and a half scoreless innings before the Beacons broke through in the bottom of the 15th.
 
With one out, Pupo hit a towering ball to center field which the Warriors were unable to pick up in the lights, resulting in a triple. Miyazawa was then intentionally walked and when his courtesy runner Jacob Wood stole second, the Warriors elected to intentionally walk Nigel Fahland to load the bases for Heffernan. The freshman came through with the memorable walk off single for the victory.
 
"Incredible to have our youth on display tonight," said Womack. "Griff going nine innings, Pupo and Mana coming up big in the 15th, was just awesome. Marshall was lights out and Danny clutched up in the ninth to give us a chance.
 
UP NEXT: Bushnell will close out their home schedule on Saturday with two more games against LC State, beginning at 11:00 am. After the end of game four, Bushnell will honor 13 seniors who will be playing their final games at the Hamlin Sports Complex.