WCL Walla Walla Sweets

Sweets Split Doubleheader with Falcons

June 19, 2014 - West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release


WALLA WALLA, Wa. -- Making his first start of the season, Walla Walla Sweets left-hander Cody Mathews aimed to put his team in a position to advance in the standings .

That's just what he did Wednesday, tossing six innings of three-run ball while striking out two and walking none in the seven-inning first game of the doubleheader necessitated by yesterday's rainout. His start gave the Sweets the effort they needed to beat the Kelowna Falcons 6-4.

"That's exactly what we anticipated out of him," said manager J.C. Biagi. "He throws strikes, throws good off-speed stuff and really kept (Kelowna) off-balance."

His teammates offered up six runs of support through the first two innings. In the first, Jarod Gonzales and Parker Osborne walked, and following a strikeout, Jordan Frabasilio hit his second home run of the season, a high line drive to left field.

In the second, Mark Contreras and Sean Bouchard, both making their season debuts, walked. After Joel Lamont took over for Kelowna and struck out two, Andrew Mendenhall knocked but runners home with an RBI triple to right field. Mendenhall himself then scored on a wild pitch to give the Sweets the 6-0 lead, and it was all they would end up needing to give Mathews (1-1) the win.

Jay Flaa entered to pitch the seventh and induced a groundout before allowing two consecutive singles. He rebounded to strike out Nick Minteer, then allowed an RBI single to Brandon Grimsley, but then got Jared Smith to ground out to seal the win and earn the save.

In the nightcap, Spencer Hobson set out for another strong outing after pitching seven effective innings in his last start. Unfortunately, the Whitman College lefty could not harness control of his pitches, walking two batters and allowing two runs on three hits over two-plus innings pitched.

Omar Porras (0-1) then took over to pitch the next inning-and-a-third, allowing three runs, but only one was earned on account of a Walla Walla error.

The Sweets got on the board first by scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning on five walks and a wild pitch by starter Matt Moriarty, who lasted just an inning-and-a-third, and his relief help, Brett Solano.

Bouchard led the way offensively for Walla Walla in game two, drawing two walks and providing the only Sweets hit- a weak dribbler halfway down the third-base line that went for an infield single.

But the two runs would turn out to be all they could manage this time, as Solano combined with Matthew Rigby, who pitched the seventh, to hurl five-and-two-thirds innings of one-hit, shoutout ball the rest of the way.

The Falcons, meanwhile, broke the tie that had stood since the third inning with a three-run sixth. Singles by Scotland Church, Nick Minteer and Thomas Lane, combined with a sacrifice fly by Colton Waltner, gave Kelowna the only lead they would need to salvage the doubleheader split.

Brian Greisman also provided an inning-and-two-thirds of relief for the Sweets, but allowed four hits and an unearned run, giving the Falcons a four-run cushion entering the seventh. Sean Bouchard walked and Ryan Littlefield was hit by a pitch with one out in the final inning, but Rigby then recorded the final two outs in order to snuff out the rally.

Even through the loss, though, bright spots abounded. Reflecting on the initial showings of the team's newest additions, Biagi said "Sean (Bouchard) showed a little bit of patience in both games. And Mark (Contreras) seems to fit in well as a utility-type guy. We'll get to know these guys a little more as we move forward."

The Sweets will take on the Falcons in the rubber game of the series at Borleske Stadium Thursday at 7:05 PM.



West Coast League Stories from June 19, 2014


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