QUINCY--In an outcome that only added to the log jam at the top of the Golden Valley Conference, visiting Lassen College edged Feather River 11-10 on Tuesday afternoon at the Eagles Nest.
The wild win moved the Cougars back into a tie with the Golden Eagles at 10-4 in conference play. Butte College moved into first at 12-4, one game in the standings ahead of Lassen and Feather River.
The Golden Eagles are now 21-7 overall and Lassen is 18-9.
Feather River had won three of the four contests this season against the Cougars coming into the game, making this a must win of sorts for Lassen. Win they did, albeit by just one run, chasing the winning counter across the plate in the top of the eighth inning.
The Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but FRC answered with two runs in the bottom half on a Zane Denton sacrifice fly and a Shane Danley RBI-single. Feather River then took their first lead of the game in the third inning on Denton's RBI-base knock and Jared Stevenson's run scoring single to make it 4-3 for the hosts.
But that margin was short lived. In the top of the fourth, Lassen sent ten batters to the plate, scoring six runs on six hits and two FRC errors to take a 8-4 lead.
The Golden Eagles weren't done though. Danley hit a two-run shot in the fifth to draw his team to 10-7, and in the seventh Rocco Crow doubled home a run and pinch hitter Quinten Terrell brough home two more with a single to tie the contest at 10-10.
Lassen then picked up an unearned run in the eighth to take a 11-10 lead. The Golden Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning but couldn't plate anyone and they stranded the tying run on second in the bottom of the ninth to end the contest.
Feather River had 11 hits in the game to Lassen's 13, but FRC also had four errors on defense. Danley had two hits and three RBI and Stevenson had two hits, including a double. Crow also had two hits, as did Andrew Lehmann (both of his were doubles).
Ian Hoslett had the best outing among four FRC pitchers, tossing four innings in relief without allowing an earned run. He gave up only two hits and struck out five.
FRC will return to action on Friday and Saturday at the College of the Siskiyous, before hosting COS on Monday (April 8) in a twinbill.
