Pippins Early Runs Not Enough; Bend Takes Series
June 29, 2025 - West Coast League (WCL)
Yakima Valley Pippins News Release
BEND, Oregon - The Bend Elks used another five-run inning against the Yakima Valley Pippins pitching staff to earn a victory Saturday night, 10-2. Yakima Valley had an early lead but were unable to keep up with the Elks offensively.
Bend entered the bottom of the fifth deadlocked with the Pippins 2-2 but sent 10 batters to the plate to flip the game in its favor. Catcher Evan Gentil drew a walk from Pipps starter Ian Fisher ahead of a Matt Dobson single. Fisher found a strikeout against Bryce Clavon, but allowed another walk to Dawson Santana, loading the bases.
Fisher exited following the walk, and Seth Mahler entered the game looking for two outs. Mahler immediately allowed a bases-clearing double off the bat of Makoa Sniffin, putting Bend up by three. Mahler walked the next batter, Jace Miller, before allowing a two-out single to Mana Lau Kong, bringing home the fourth and fifth runs of the inning. Gentil, who earned the leadoff walk to start the inning, ended the frame with a flyout to Dillon Anderson in right field.
The Pippins scored in the first inning, their fifth time plating at least one run in the opening frame in their last eight games. Anderson led off the game with a double and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Julian Angulo.
Yakima Valley built its early lead with another run in the second inning. Cole Hansen picked up a one-out single and scored on Neil Jansen's RBI double.
Yakima Valley held a two-run lead until the bottom of the third inning. Facing Fisher, Clavon hit his first home run of the season with Dodson on base. The shot tied the game 2-2.
The Pippins offense had a chance to get within three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Three straight batters reached to lead off the inning against new Elks arm Kyler Bacosa. The right-hander rallied to punch out the next two Pippins he faced before Bend brought in the hometown hurler Simon Lemke to finalize the inning. Lemke induced a bouncing ball back to the mound off the bat of Gage Reeser to leave the bases loaded.
Bend scored insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings facing Mahler and Jackson Burtis, respectively. The Elks brought in Alex Via to finish the game. Despite allowing two pinch-hit singles to Ethan Buckley and Jared Stevenson, Via navigated through his debut inning to secure the victory.
Yakima Valley drops to 7-16 this season, and 2-9 on the road. Bend improves to 12-12, and 7-4 at Vince Genna Stadium.
Game three between the Pippins and the Elks is scheduled for 5:05pm Sunday. The Pippins will wrap up the month of June looking to salvage the series in Bend.
West Coast League Stories from June 29, 2025
- Pippins Early Runs Not Enough; Bend Takes Series - Yakima Valley Pippins
- That's a Walk-off Winner! Kyle Ponganiban and the Applesox Walk-off the Harborcats to Take Game Two, 5-4 - Wenatchee AppleSox
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