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WCL Yakima Valley Pippins

Pippins Walk-Off Corvallis off Allen's Bat

June 8, 2024 - West Coast League (WCL)
Yakima Valley Pippins News Release


YAKIMA, Washington - Preston Allen's infield single with two outs in the ninth plated the winning run as the Yakima Valley Pippins walked off previously unbeaten Corvallis 6-5 on Friday at Yakima County Stadium.

After trading the lead earlier in the game, it all came down to the ninth. Donovann Jackson, the third Pippins pitcher of the night, entered in the ninth with a 5-4 lead. Corvallis worked the bases loaded and eventually tied the game on a wild pitch before Jackson got out of the jam.

In the bottom of the inning, the Pipps found some clutch offense. A leadoff, five-pitch walk to DJ Dillehay gave the Pippins their first baserunner. Jack Sheward laid down a bunt in what was fated to be a sacrifice. Instead, the bunt was placed along the first base line where the pitcher, Gabe Hernandez, and the first baseman, Quin Dufort, couldn't throw out the Pippins catcher.

Adrian Hinojosa bunted to move both runners up 90 feet. Then, after an intentional walk loaded the bases for Yakima Valley, Allen came to the plate with two outs. He proceeded to chop a soft grounder to the left side of the infield, in which the throw to first was a touch too slow to get the Chaffey College product.

The Pippins took the victory over Corvallis, who entered Friday night with a South Division-best 5-0 record. However, it was Yakima Valley who struck first in this game, as Sheward scored his first run of the day on a wild pitch by Knights starter Lucas Casey.

Then, Corvallis displayed their impressive offensive acumen. The Knights brought in four unanswered runs to take a 4-1 lead into the sixth. A 2-RBI double from Cole Snidow in the fourth and a sacrifice fly from Ty Yukumoto helped Corvallis recover from a quiet start to the night at the dish.

Then things changed for the better for Yakima Valley=. The Pippins plated four runs in the bottom of the sixth, and for the second night in a row, they batted around in an inning.

It was started by Hinojosa's leadoff double. Casey Wayne doubled to make it a 4-2 game. Allen reached base for the second time of the night with an RBI single. Another RBI base knock came from Sheward.

Yakima Valley got a solid performance from Carson Judd in his second start of the season. The Washington State pitcher went 5.0 IP, and allowed six hits, just two earned runs and dealt three strikeouts.

He was relieved by Garin Gurtler in the sixth inning, and the Big Bend Community College hurler dominated. He retired nine of the next 10 batters for Corvallis, in a stretch when Yakima Valley retook the lead.

Offensively, the Pippins were once again led by Sheward. The catcher finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored; none more important than the final one to win the game. He entered this weekend series after going 5-for-7 in the final game of the Springfield series on the road. His hot bat continued to support the bottom of the Pippins lineup.

Yakima Valley will play game two of the series at 6:35 p.m. Saturday. The Pippins look to win the series and claim their sixth victory of the 2024 season.

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