Former Bulldog Lichty gets start in NWAACC playoff game

LONGVIEW, Wash. — Former Sandpoint pitcher Tyler Lichty will get the start Saturday for the smoking-hot Lower Columbia College Red Devils, who recently strung together a win streak of 22 games and finished with a 24-1 record to win the Western Division of the Northwest Athletic Association of Cummunity Colleges.

The Red Devils (35-6) opened the NWAACC Baseball championships Thursday night against Skagit Valley (31-8), a game still going at the Daily Bee’s press time.

Lichty finished the regular season with an unblemished record of 5-0, while boasting a sparkling 2.24 ERA. In 52 innings of work he allowed 43 hits, walked just 18, and struck out 52 batters, exactly one per inning.

LCC head coach Kelly Smith brings in a relatively young team, with the sophomore Lichty one of a small handful of players with previous playoff experience, as the Red Devils looks to win their first championship since 2005.

“Tyler deserves to start the second game because he’s less nervous than most of our other pitchers,” Smith told The Daily News.