Brooms Out in Vancouver: Storm Sweep Penguins to Open NWAC Play

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Raines Field might have been the venue, but it was the Chemeketa Storm who brought the thunder on Saturday. In a relentless display of power hitting and clinical pitching, Chemeketa swept their doubleheader against the Clark Penguins, combining for 16 runs and a staggering 27 hits over the two-game set.

Between a five-inning shutout and a gritty, tactical victory in the nightcap, the Storm moved to 2-0 in NWAC play with a clear message: the offense is clicking, and the pitching staff is dialed in.

Game 1: The Laney Deloe Show

Final Score: Chemeketa 12, Clark 0 (5 Innings)

The opener was less of a contest and more of a statement. Laney Deloe was the definition of a dual-threat weapon, tossing a masterful one-hit shutout while simultaneously driving in three runs at the plate.

The Storm blew the game open in a nightmare second inning for the Penguins. Leading 3-0, Chemeketa erupted for eight runs in the frame. The exclamation point came off the bat of Kylie Caraphina, who launched a towering three-run home run to center field, effectively ending any hopes of a Clark comeback before the third inning even began.

• The Hit Queen: Ava Woods was untouchable, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

• The Stone Wall: Deloe faced just 20 batters, striking out four and allowing only a single hit in five dominant frames.

• Efficiency: The Storm averaged over three hits per inning in this shortened contest.

Game 2: Clutch Triple Silences the Penguins

Final Score: Chemeketa 4, Clark 2

The afternoon finale required a bit more finesse, as Clark's pitching managed to keep the Storm at bay early on. However, Chemeketa's "never-out-of-it" mentality eventually wore down the defense.

Nursing a narrow 2-1 lead in the top of the 6th, the Storm looked for a knockout blow. They found it in Kylie Caraphina. With two runners on, Caraphina laced a two-RBI triple into the gap, providing the insurance runs needed to secure the sweep.

The pitching duo of Shayla Qualls and Addison Bennett was remarkably efficient. Despite Clark managing six hits, the Storm staff did not allow a single earned run all game, navigating two defensive errors with veteran-level composure.

Series Snapshot: By the Numbers

Strategic Spotlight: Zero Earned Runs

Perhaps the most impressive stat of the day isn't the 12-run outburst, but the 0.00 combined ERA across 12 innings of play.

While the bats will grab the headlines, the Chemeketa arms—Deloe, Qualls, and Bennett—completely neutralized the Clark lineup. By limiting walks (only four total on the day) and inducing weak contact, the Storm pitchers forced Clark to play "station-to-station" baseball, a strategy that rarely works when you're trailing by double digits.

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