Pippins Drop Game Two in Battle of the Basin
June 17, 2024 - West Coast League (WCL)
Yakima Valley Pippins News Release
YAKIMA, Washington - Walla Walla rallied with two runs in the eighth for a 4-3 win over the Yakima Valley Pippins on Sunday, knotting the series at 1-1 heading into the final game of the Battle of the Basin at Yakima County Stadium.
Yakima Valley once again found itself in an early deficit on the scoreboard after the sibling rival Sweets led 1-0 all the way to the fourth inning. JJ Moran came in to score the lone run early in the game off the bat of Easton O'Neal for the Sweets.
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The Pippins responded with some offense of their own, tying the game on DJ Dillehay's sacrifice fly that brought in Rece Schuerman to make it 1-1. Scheurman hit a single earlier in the inning, which was the first of two hits for the Gonzaga product on the night.
After that, a back-and-forth fifth inning kept the game tied, as one run came across for both teams. Hayden Driggs scored on a bunt from Stephen Hom, but Yakima Valley punched right back with a run from Drew Johnson. Schuerman came up big once again with an RBI single to even the score at 2-2 heading into the back half of the game.
The Pippins saw their first lead on Toussaint Bythewood's first hit as a Pippin. He hit a single to bring in Spencer Shipman, and the UCLA Bruin made it 3-2 with that crucial at-bat in his debut.
Late in the game, however, Walla Walla scored what would end up being the winning runs. Justin Cuellar came in for relief for Yakima Valley, and the future UCLA Bruin gave up two runs. Moran and Ryan Prescott came across home plate for the third and fourth runs of the game for Walla Walla.
The Pipps weren't able to respond in the bottom of the ninth, and fell to 8-6 on the year. Walla Walla found its first road win in league play since opening weekend, when the Sweets beat Bend 10-6.
Offensively, Schuerman led the way for the Pippins. Preston Allen added two more hits to his season total, as he now heads into Game 3 of this series with a league-leading 22 hits on the year, including six doubles.
Quentin O'Connor made the start tonight for Yakima Valley on the mound. He went 3.2 innings and allowed just two hits and one earned run. The Whitworth senior fanned five Sweets batters before being relieved by Parker Smith.
Overall, Yakima Valley threw six different arms in Game 2, compared with two for Walla Walla. Will Merriott came in for relief of Cuellar and dealt 1.1 scoreless innings to finish the night on the mound for the Pipps.
Game three is scheduled for a 6:35 p.m. start time, as the Pippins head into their fifth consecutive decisive Game 3. Yakima Valley is 3-1 in series finales this season.
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West Coast League Stories from June 17, 2024
- Takeuchi and Canfield Receive WCL's Moss Adams Weekly Accolades - WCL
- Pippins Drop Game Two in Battle of the Basin - Yakima Valley Pippins
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