BBCC Baseball Takes 3 of 4 from #10 Umpqua CC on Opening Weekend

BBCC baseball hit the road for their longest trip of the season, traveling to Roseburg, Oregon, to face Umpqua Community College in their 2025 season opener. Due to weather conditions, the Vikings had yet to practice outside before the trip, but they were more than ready to compete.

The season kicked off with sophomore starting pitcher Dylan Schaefer on the mound. Schaefer struggled with command early, exiting after two innings and surrendering three earned runs. Trailing 3-1, the Vikings turned to freshman Cole McKinnon, who delivered a dominant performance. McKinnon threw six scoreless innings, keeping BBCC in the game as the offense chipped away. Entering the ninth inning tied at three, freshman Ricardo Leon Guerrero II delivered a clutch two-out RBI to put the Vikings ahead 4-3. Nolan Soderstrom then took over as the closer, shutting down Umpqua in the bottom of the ninth to secure the opening win.

In game two, Head Coach Chase Tunstall handed the ball to sophomore Garin Gurtler, who was lights-out over five scoreless innings, striking out five. Freshman Garrison Garton took over and continued the dominance, holding Umpqua scoreless. The game remained tied 0-0 until the top of the eighth when the Vikings scratched across a run to take the lead. A sacrifice fly by sophomore Ryley Doig in the ninth extended the lead to 2-0. Garton finished the job with a clean ninth inning, securing the shutout victory.

Game three saw BBCC give the ball to All-Conference sophomore Brendan McKinley. Like Schaefer, McKinley struggled with control, managing only four innings while allowing three runs on five hits and striking out three. Freshman Talan Wright stepped in, throwing two innings and allowing just one run on two hits. The Vikings trailed 4-2 entering the eighth inning but were able to push a run across. However, Umpqua responded, extending their lead to 5-2. Despite a late run in the ninth, BBCC fell short, dropping the game 5-3.

For the fourth and final game, freshman Owen Relkoff from Cranbrook, British Columbia, took the mound. Despite rainy conditions, Relkoff pitched three innings, allowing two runs (one earned). Sophomore Jesse Brown followed with three scoreless innings, giving the Vikings' offense a chance to shine. Ryley Doig led the charge with three hits, including a triple, while Sean Bang, Swanson, and Kenyon Johnson each drove in runs. Entering the seventh inning with a 7-2 lead, Nelson Ahumada came in to close and sealed the victory striking out two hitters over his inning of work. The Vikings took three of four games from No. 10-ranked Umpqua, a strong start to their season.

Head coach Chase Tunstall expressed his excitement after the series:

"It's always nice to get off to a hot start. Taking three of four from a top-tier program like Umpqua really boosts the team's confidence, knowing that we're just going to get better. We had some freshmen step up in big ways this weekend, whether it be offensively, defensively, or on the mound. Once we start clicking on all cylinders, I believe we can be a really good ball club."

Up next, the Vikings head to Blue Mountain Community College for a quick two-game set against the Timberwolves this Sunday.