WCL Walla Walla Sweets

Sweets Battle But Lose Exciting Home Finale, 4-3

Published on August 8, 2014 under West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release


WALLA WALLA, Wa. - With an early lead against the Victoria HarbourCats Thursday night, the Walla Walla Sweets made a strong bid for a series victory.

Unforunately, the lead would not hold, and the HarbourCats edged the Sweets, 4-3, at Borleske Stadium in the Sweets' final home game of the season.

Spencer Hobson drew the pitching duties for the Sweets, tossing three scoreless innings after his teammates gave him a 2-0 lead in the first inning, via a Mikey Duarte RBI double and a Parker Osborne sacrifice fly.

But after both teams failed to score in the 2nd or 3rd inning, the HarbourCats went to work in the 4th. Alex DeGoti led off with a double, scoring immediately afterward on a double by Nathan Lukes. Aaron Barnett later hit an RBI single to plate Lukes and tie the score, and Ted Boeke hit a sacrifice fly to give the HarbourCats the lead, 3-2.

The two teams then engaged in a scoreless standoff, including a scoreless 7 th and 8th from the Sweets' Omar Porras and Cody Mathews, respectively. That meant that Hobson departed after having allowed three runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out one.

The Sweets finally scored again in the bottom of the 8th. Duarte led off with a single, moving to second and then to third on walks to Osborne and Cooper Hummel. Kyle Nixon next grounded into a double play, but Duarte scored to knot the game at 3-3.

But the HarbourCats showed toughness again, as pinch-hitter Gabe Clark knocked home the go-ahead run from third with two out against Jay Flaa (2-1) in the 9th, turning the momentum again in Victoria's favor.

In the bottom of the 9th, Ryan Littlefield led off with a single, but a fielder's choice, a popout and a lineout sealed the Sweets' unfortunate fate, with the HarbourCats winning 4-3 and swiping the series, two games to one.

Carson Schneider (1-1) got the win for Victoria, tossing two innings of scoreless relief, following Preston Ryan's one-inning appearance after a solid performance from starter Alex Rogers, who allowed just two runs on five hits through his six innings.

The Sweets fell to a 25-26 record on the season, and despite losing in the end, competed well in a close game before a near-sellout crowd at Borleske Stadium.

Among those in attendance was West Coast League president Dennis Koho. "It was a huge, enthusiastic crowd," Koho said of the Sweets' final home game. "And this was a game that, technically, in terms of playoffs, meant nothing, but it meant a lot to the fans. They were out here in droves. . . . Everyone was here, having a good time watching a well-contested game."

To close their season, the Sweets will travel to Kelowna for a three-game series against the Falcons, with first pitch Friday slated for 6:35 PM at Elks Stadium.

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West Coast League Stories from August 8, 2014


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