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WCL Walla Walla Sweets

Four-Run First, Culligan Too Much For Gems

July 23, 2011 - West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release


Klamath Falls-- Scott Gottschling's two-run home run capped a four-run first inning and starter Tim Culligan did the rest to lead the Walla Walla Sweets to an 8-3 victory over the Klamath Falls Gems on Friday night in front of West Coast League-record crowd of 4,156 at Kiger Stadium.

Culligan, coming off of back-to-back eight inning outings, mowed down three straight in the first and never looked back. He set down the first four batters before making an error on a comebacker with one out in the second. He rallied to strike out the next batter and get an inning-ending ground ball. Culligan faced trouble again in the third, giving up his first hit and another infield error, but struck out the final two batters of the inning and proceded to set down 11 straight to end his night. He retired the side in order over the next three innings and allowed just four balls out of the infield all night. His final line: 6 IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 6K. Over his last 30 innings, Culligan has allowed just one run on ten hits, has struck out 14 and walked only four.

The Sweets shook off the rust quick after making the eight hour drive from Walla Walla. Andrew Mendenhall singled to start the inning and moved to second as Zach Wentz drew a one-out walk. Chance Kopacz continued his clutch hitting with a single to right that scored Mendenhall and eventually ended with him standing at third. The throw to third to get Wentz bounced away allowing him to score and Kopacz alertly moved to third when he saw no one was covering. A strikeout followed but Gems starter Bryan Clough left the first pitch to UC-Irvine teammate Scott Gottschling up over the plate and Gottschling drilled it over the left-center wall for his third home run this summer and a 4-0 Sweets lead.

Walla Walla would tack on two more insurance runs in the fifth on just two hits. Denver Chavez walked, moved to second on a Mendenhall single and Alex Stanford's sac bunt turned into an infield single to load the bases with no outs. Wentz then drew his second walk to force in a run and two batters later Elliot Stewart made it 6-0 with a fielder's choice ground ball. A seventh run scored in the top of the seventh on a Stewart double and the Sweets finished their scoring in the eighth on a perfectly executed safety squeeze by Stanford that scored Chavez from third.

The Sweets then turned their 7-0 lead over to the bullpen and the Gems pounced. Tom D'Aboy greeted Sweets reliever Daniel Jewett with a sharp single to left and Ryan Doepple followed with a single to right. Jewett walked Drew Sadler to load the bases and Nick Miller got the Gems on the board with a seeing-eye single through the right side that plated two. The night didn't get any better for Jewett as he walked the next batter to reload the bases before being replaced by Jacob Overbay. After getting the first out, Rich Sanguinetti's ground ball resulted in an infield single and scored a run to make it 7-3 but Overbay got stronger. He blew a 2-2 fastball past pinch-hitter Turner Gill and ended the inning with a fly out from Kainoa Crowell.

After his rough first inning, Clough settled down to pitch well until hitting a wall in the fifth. He struck out back-to-back batters to end the second, made it three straight to start the third and struck out two more to start the fourth. On the night, the left-hander struck out seven but walked five and gave up six runs (three earned). Sanguinetti and Doeppel each had a pair of hits for the Gems, while Mendenhall was the only Sweets player to record multiple hits. Stewart and Gottschling each drove in a pair and Kopacz and Chavez both scored twice. Overbay pitched two scoreless innings of relief and has allowed just three unearned runs over 17.2 innings of relief this summer. Ryan Richardson finished the game with a flawless ninth.

Walla Walla has now won four-straight games for the second time this summer but remain three behind Bellingham for the final playoff spot in the East Division. The Sweets continue their series with the Gems on Saturday night and will give the ball to Aaron Hoverson.



West Coast League Stories from July 23, 2011


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