Early Offense Enough for Pippins' Frigid Friday Night Win
June 21, 2025 - West Coast League (WCL)
Yakima Valley Pippins News Release
YAKIMA, Washington - To celebrate the summer solstice, the Yakima Valley Pippins defeated the Walla Walla Sweets 6-4 on a Friday night that saw a first-pitch temperature of 66 degrees. The Pippins got hot on offense while the weather was still above 60 and were able to create some fireworks on the mound to stave off a Sweets comeback.
Yakima Valley got on the board in the first inning, loading the bases on a Langan Naylor walk, Julian Angulo single, and Charlie Schebler walk. Neil Jansen then drew the third free pass by Sweets starter Tre Morse to bring home Naylor, and Cole Hansen poked a single into right field to bring home Angulo.
The offense continued with one run in the second inning. Jaden St. Cyr walked to lead off the inning and after advancing to second base on a sacrifice bunt, came around to score on a two-out single by Dillon Anderson.
Leading 3-0 in the third, Yakima Valley sent eight men to the plate as Jansen, Hansen, and St. Cyr would all score. Walla Walla committed two errors in the frame, and the Pippins picked up three of their nine hits in the frame.
Pipps starter Ian Mowad was spectacular in his second start in The Orchard. Mowad twirled six innings with 104 pitches, allowing seven hits and only letting two Walla Walla runs score. Mowad also set a new personal season high in strikeouts, fanning eight Sweets.
Walla Walla would threaten to tie in each of the final three frames. Down 6-2, the Sweets cashed in a hit batter and a single before Evan Ellis would enter the game and strike out Nikhil Beasley and Johnny Backus back-to-back with the bases loaded to get the Pippins back in the dugout.
The final arm used by Yakima Valley was Colton LaFave, who threw the final two frames with a 6-4 lead. LaFave got into and out of trouble in the eighth, leaving runners stranded at second and third base. In the ninth, a two-out walk was left on the basepaths after LaFave induced a flyout to Anderson to wrap up the victory.
Mowad earned the win to improve to 1-1 on the season, and LaFave picked up his second six-out save of the season. Morse took the loss to fall to 0-1.
Yakima Valley breaks a three-game losing streak and improves to 5-11 this season. Walla Walla drops to 11-8 but still commands second place in the West Coast League South Division' first half.
Game Two between the Pippins and the Sweets in the "Battle of the Basin" is Saturday at 5:35pm. The players from both teams will compete in a skills competition following the game to celebrate the fifth of nine games in the "Battle of the Basin." Tickets for the contest can be purchased at www.pippinsbaseball.com/tickets, the only official ticketing link for the Yakima Valley Pippins. Parking is free at Yakima County Stadium.
West Coast League Stories from June 21, 2025
- Early Offense Enough for Pippins' Frigid Friday Night Win - Yakima Valley Pippins
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