Sports stats



WCL Walla Walla Sweets

Sweets Scare Pippins Late, Fall Short 8-7

July 30, 2014 - West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release


WALLA WALLA, Wa. - Continuing a remarkable run of high-scoring games, the Walla Walla Sweets tallied six runs in the final three innings in the opening game of their new series against the Yakima Valley Pippins Tuesday night.

But the last-minute comeback fell just short, and the Sweets fell to the Pippins, 8-7.

After both teams failed to score in the first inning, Ryan Rosa and Harrison Ramey hit back-to-back singles with one out in the second. Laz Villa followed with an RBI double to left, and Shawn Wardian plated two more runs with a single. After a single, Mitch Skaggs added another single to make the score 4-0, and Vince Fernandez followed with a three-run homer to cap off the seven-run rally and send Sweets starting pitcher Chris Kerwood (1-2) to the showers early.

"He left some pitches out over the plate," said acting manager Rob Holtzinger. "They (the Pippins) hit him and they strung some hits together, and we were caught in a spot where we had to push the panic button too early."

The Sweets later brought home their first run in the bottom of the 3rd, when John Skrbec led off with a triple to right center. Mikey Duarte brought him home on a sacrifice fly, but that was the only run the Sweets would manage against Pippins starter Austin Woodward (2-2) through the first six innings.

The Pippins managed to tack on another run in the top of the 6th, when Nick Kern, who had previously reached base on a single, sneaked home from third as Justin Jacobs grounded into a double play.

Overall, however, the bullpen proved solid, allowing just one run over seven-and-a-thirds innings.

"Jake Campeau came in and strung together three and a third (innings) and did a nice job," Holtzinger said. "Mathews came in and stabilized things and got out of his inning (the 6th) and A.J. Carkner, who just joined the ballclub, definitely did a nice job."

"Their combined efforts were what gave us a chance to put the winning run in scoring position."

Trailing 8-1, the Sweets knew what they had to do. In the bottom of the 7th inning, Parker Osborne, Cooper Hummel and Renae Martinez all hit singles to load the bases with none out. That brought a hot-hitting Kyle Nixon to the plate, who plated two runs with a double to left-center. But with two runners in scoring position and still none out, the Sweets failed to bring either home, ending the inning on a pair of strikeouts and a flyout.

After Andrew Mendenhall's leadoff double down the left field line in the 8 th narrowly missed a home run, Mike Paulson hit a no-doubt, two-run homer to bring the Sweets to within three runs.

The clutch hitting would continue into the 9th inning. Jarod Gonzales walked and Mark Contreras followed with a single, and both moved into scoring position on a throwing error by pitcher Kenny Rosenberg. Mendenhall then cracked a two-run single to make the score 8-7, the smallest lead the Pippins had held since the 2nd inning. After a strikeout, Parker Osborne doubled to put the tying run on third and the winning run on second, but Nick Kern, originally the Pippins' designated hitter, took over on the mound and struck out the next two hitters to deprive the Sweets of a full comeback.

Upon falling short at the end, the Sweets (21-22) again dropped to four games out of first place in the East division standings.

The Sweets and Pippins will play the second game of their series Wednesday at Borleske Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM.



West Coast League Stories from July 30, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Walla Walla Sweets Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central