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WCL Walla Walla Sweets

Offense Struggles in Game Three, Gems Sweep Sweets in First Road Trip

June 15, 2013 - West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release


KLAMATH FALLS, OR -- The Walla Walla Sweets dropped the third and final game of their first road series of 2013, a 6-1 final, as they were swept by the Klamath Falls Gems on Friday. Gems starting pitcher Brandon Horth struck out eight and didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning.

The Gems came out swinging in the second inning as third baseman LJ Brewster slapped just the second pitch he saw to the right side of the infield. Sweets left-hander Drew Christina fielded the ball, but the play pulled first baseman Matt Mendenhall away from the base, allowing Brewster to go to first. Gems short stop Paul Panaccione reached on an error by Reggie Southall at second base before a single by designated hitter Jack Karraker loaded the bases. Left fielder Michael Tittle was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat to drive in a run, and second baseman Tyson Dahl's sacrifice fly to right field gave Klamath Falls a 2-0 lead.

The Gems tacked on a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth on catcher Dempsey Grover's two-run homer to right field for a 5-0 lead. It was not until the fifth inning that Walla Walla put a ball in play for a hit, as catcher Zach Reay singled up the middle to break up Horth's bid for a no-hitter. Reay finished the day 1-for-3 in his first game in a Sweets uniform.

The Sweets offense was sat down in order five different times on the night. On all sides of the ball, it was just a difficult week for the Sweets.

"We had a tough time hitting. We had a tough time pitching, and fielding," Mendendhall said after the game. "They hit the ball really well. You have to give credit to them."

Mendenhall drove in the only Sweets run of the game as he scored himself on a first pitch, no-doubt home run to left field with two outs in the seventh inning. It was just one of two Sweets hits on the night.

"It was kind of out of frustration," Mendenhall said of the short at-bat. "I just squared one up, finally."

With a smile, he added: "I was actually going to drag bunt, but I changed my mind on that pitch."

Klamath Falls drove another run home in the bottom half of the eighth. With Panaccione at second, Tittle knocked a single to right to drive in the final run of the game and cap the 6-1 victory for Horth, his second of the year.

Christina took his first loss of the season after 4.2 innings pitched, giving up four earned runs on nine hits to up his league ERA to 7.71. Bret Helton came in to replace Christina in the fifth and surrendered four hits, one unearned run and struck out three in 3.1 innings of relief.

The road trip continues Saturday as Walla Walla moves west to take on the Medford Rogues for the first time. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.

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