WCL Walla Walla Sweets

Cowlitz Staves Off Series Sweep

Published on July 9, 2014 under West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release


WALLA WALLA, Wa. - Shooting for the series sweep, the Walla Walla Sweets sent Cody Carroll to the mound to get the job done.

Carroll struggled through just over an inning, though, and although he received plentiful help from the bullpen, the Sweets fell 5-4 to the Cowlitz Black Bears in twelve innings Tuesday night at Borleske Stadium.

Trevor Lane led off the game with a double for Cowlitz, but was thrown out at third base on an ensuing fielder's choice. Caleb Hamilton, who reached first base on the play, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved up to third on a groundout. He scored the game's first run on an RBI single by Joey Greco, giving starter Billy Sahlinger an early lead on the mound.

The Black Bears extended their lead to 3-0 in the second inning, when Carroll was removed from the game after allowing two walks and a single to load the bases with one out. Jake Campeau entered from the bullpen and got Lane to hit a soft roller back to the mound, which Campeau flipped with his glove to catcher Renae Martinez for the force out on the lead runner. But Jonathon Serven was called safe on a close play, and Daniel Orr drew a bases-loaded walk.

Still fighting hard in the series, though, the Sweets showed good plate discipline in the bottom half. Mike Paulson and Mikey Duarte walked, and J.J. Robinson singled to load the bases with none out. Sahlinger became wild, walking Kyle Nixon to force home the Sweets' first run and hitting Mark Contreras with a pitch to force another in. Renae Martinez then tied the game 3-3 when he hit a bouncer to Serven at third base, who stepped on third and threw to first for a double play. But the run scored, and the score would remain tied until the top of the fourth.

Campeau opened the fourth inning by walking Derrick Rustich, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and got to third on a single, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Caleb Hamilton, giving the Black Bears the 4-3 lead.

Though pitching in a slightly different role than normal, Campeau quickly felt comfortable in his early relief appearance. "It was a little bit of a shock," he said. "I'm used to being able to settle in out of the bullpen a little bit. But when (manager J.C. Biagi) calls your name, you just get the adrenaline going and it's business as usual after that."

The Sweets would not answer the Black Bears' run until the bottom of the seventh. Mark Contreras led off with a single into right-center, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. Jarod Gonzales walked and moved to second on a wild pitch, and with first base open, Cowlitz decided to intentionally walk Mendenall. But reliever Jake Menzhuber's first intended ball floated over the middle of the plate, allowing Mendenhall to stroke it into left field and score Contreras to tie the game, 4-4.

As the game extended beyond the regulation nine innings and into extras, Jesse Houser came on to pitch as the Sweets' fourth reliever of the night- following Campeau, Omar Porras and Matt Majors. He entered with the go-ahead run on third an two out, and got Whalen to hit a soft liner back to the mound, which Houser easily caught for the third out.

The right-hander would go on to pitch two more solid innings in the game. Houser, however, made one key mistake- yielding a solo home run to Casey Worden in the top of the twelfth inning that proved to be the winning run.

The Sweets had a chance to stage a comeback in the bottom of the twelfth, with Mendenhall collecting a one-out single and taking second on a wild pitch. But Paulson struck out, and Duarte grounded out, ending the Sweets' chances at the series sweep and giving the Black Bears the 5-4 victory.

Impressive once again, the Sweets' bullpen kept the team in the game. Campeau, Porras, Majors and Houser combined to pitch ten and two-thirds innings, allowing just two runs over that span despite eleven Cowlitz hits.

The Sweets return to action Thursday in Wenatcheee, facing the Applesox in the first of a three-game series at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium in Wenatchee, with first pitch slated for 7:05 PM.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



West Coast League Stories from July 9, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central