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WCL Yakima Valley Pippins

Pippins Pound 15 Hits, Win Opening Series

June 3, 2024 - West Coast League (WCL)
Yakima Valley Pippins News Release


YAKIMA, Washington - After scoring just four runs in the first two games of the opening series in the 2024 season, the Yakima Valley Pippins offense ignited for hits up and down the lineup on Sunday night.

The Pipps plated 13 runs on 15 hits in an offensive display that saw everyone succeed at the plate. Yakima Valley won a decisive Game 3 against the Springfield Drifters 13-4 at The Orchard. Eight of the nine starters from opening night returned to the lineup Sunday and saw much more success offensively against Springfield's pitching staff.

Starting on the mound for Yakima Valley was Colton LaFave. The Central Arizona pitcher came into Sunday's contest trying after two consecutive double-digit strikeout performances from the Pippins' pitching staff.

LaFave's outing started out strong, with two punchouts in the first inning. He waved the leadoff man Ely Kennel and Brooks Robertson to retire the side. Then, in the home half of the first, David Ballenilla, Spencer Shipman and Preston Allen all hit singles to give Yakima Valley three hits in its first three batters. This matched the hit total of the prior night in the first inning.

Allen's base knock was his first hit of the season after entering Sunday 0-for-7 at the plate. His first hit went for an RBI.

Heading into the second inning, LaFave returned to the mound with a 2-0 lead to work with. He started the second inning how he had ended the first, with a strikeout. This time, Andy Miller went down for his fifth strikeout of the series. However, this inning began the troubles on the mound for LaFave.

The righty ended up finishing the inning without giving up a run, but two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Springfield, before LaFave finally popped out Kedren Kinzie to wrap up the top half of the second inning.

In the second inning, the Pipps went three up three down with a ground out and two pop outs. In the third frame, LaFave gave up the first two runs of the game for the Drifters. Kooper Jones singled in his second at-bat but took a hard stumble as he beat out a throw to first. He would eventually be replaced by Colin Beazizo as a pinch runner, who would go on to score one of the runs.

Springfield's designated hitter, Brooks Robertson, also made his way around the basepath to even the game at 2-2. LaFave was relieved after 2.1 IP by Pippins returner Max Goldberg. He finished the third without allowing any more runs.

First, Davis Koester got the Pipps going with a leadoff single, which was followed by six other base runners. This included Preston Allen once again, who knocked in his second RBI of the night in this third inning. The Pippins brought in seven runs in the third inning, which gave Yakima Valley the lead back, 9-2.

In the fourth, Goldberg was still on the mound for the Pipps, and retired the side within the first four batters for Springfield. Two back-to-back singles from Kedren kinzie and Brandon Stinnett were wasted as Kooper Jones grounded into a double play to end the Drifters side of the frame.

The Pippins went quietly in the fourth, as only two hits occurred from Preston Allen and Brennan Morgan before Casey Wayne struck out to send it to the fifth inning. In the fifth, Will Merriott stepped on the mound for Yakima Valley, and showed off an impressive display of pitches with his submarine throwing motion.

The side-armer popped out two Drifters before he punched out Jack Peper to send the Pippins offense back out on the field. Yakima Valley did not score in the fifth, as Ballenilla grounded into a double play with Davis Koester getting retired on his way to second.

Tyler Disch made his Pippins debut in the sixth inning but did not have the outing he was hoping for. He walked the leadoff batter, Ryder Dykstra, and the follow up hitter, Ely Kennel. After that, Kedren Kinzie displayed his impressive power at the plate once more as he sent a pitch to the outfield for a 2-RBI double which made it 9-4. Disch allowed another walk to Brandon Stinnett before being relieved by Garin Gurtler.

The Big Bend pitcher came in and took care of business, finishing the next three batters in order to limit the damage to two runs in the sixth for the Drifters. The Pippins offense responded well in the bottom of the sixth inning, going for three runs after Julian Angulo hit his second double of the series and Casey Wayne hit an RBI-triple to bring Angulo all the way around.

Later in the inning, designated hitter Rece Scheurman earned his first hit as a Pippin, which made it 12-4 as he brought in Wayne from third base. Koester ended the inning with a groundout, but not before the Pippins earned some insurance runs heading into the seventh.

Gurtler stayed on the mound for one more inning and delivered the fifth strikeout of the contest. He got Kennel swinging for his second time of the night, and fourth of the series. Yakima Valley didn't score in the bottom of the seventh, which brought out Quentin O'Connnor for his Pippins pitching debut.

O'Connor looked strong in his first appearance. He dealt two strikeouts in the three batters that he faced in the frame. He got Jackson Upton, who had replaced the hobbled Kooper Jones as the catcher halfway through the game, looking. Then he struck out Brooks Robertson as the DH kept the bat on his shoulders and watched strike three fly into the glove of Jack Sheward.

In the bottom of the eighth, Yakima Valley added one more run, as Angulo reached first base on a drop incenter field by Ely Kennel. The Pipps' first baseman got over to second as a pitch got away from Tyler Manyo, then he advanced to third on a single by Brennan Morgan. Finally, Angulo came in on a fielder's choice for what would be the final run of the game for Yakima Valley.

In the ninth, the Pippins went to Brennan Morgan on the mound, who had been playing third base for the first eight innings of the game. Preston Allen came in to play third base, as Aidan Morrison replaced him in center field. Morgan pitched a good ninth, dealing the eighth strikeout of the night, this time against Aidean Gebhard. The final out came on a Jack Peper ground out that gave the Pippins the win and the series at home in front of the Pippins fans at Yakima County Stadium.

Gurtler earned the win on the mound for Yakima Valley, and pitched two complete innings for one strikeout, two hits and no earned runs. LaFave's debut as a starter finished with a line of 2.1 IP, two hits, two runs, three strikeouts and five walks.

The Pippins play one more game at home to start the 2024 season, as an early start between Yakima Valley and the Cascade Collegiate League Showcase team takes place Monday at 10:35 a.m. PT.

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