Sports stats



WCL Walla Walla Sweets

Wild Finish Ends In Sweets Favor, 6-4

June 15, 2011 - West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release


Walla Walla-- As the fans filed out of Borleske Stadium on Tuesday night, many were shaking their heads but all had smiles on their faces for they had all just witnessed Andrew Mendenhall rip a tie-breaking two-run single and Tyler Billen escape a bases-loaded one-out jam in the bottom of the ninth as part of crazy ending that resulted in the Walla Walla Sweets 6-4 victory over the Klamath Falls Gems.

That finish included a three-run eighth that gave Klamath a 4-2 lead, a four-run eighth that gave the Sweets the lead right back and pressure-packed bases-loaded ninth that ended with the Sweets high-fiving on the pitchers mound with a 6-4 win in the books.

For seven innings, the game was a tense, nail-biter, the Sweets clinging to a 2-1 lead. In the eighth, Walla Walla turned to their bullpen and things got a bit shaky. A leadoff walk was moved to second by a sac bunt and back-to-back singles tied the game at 2-2. A strikeout was the second out but the Sweets walked three straight batters and threw two wild pitches in that span, scoring two Gems runs and giving the visitors a 4-2 lead.

The lead did not last very long. Cody Edwards promptly walked the first two batters in the eighth for the Sweets but was nearly out of the woods after a strikeout and ground out. He even got ahead of Alex Stanford 0-2 but the next pitch was a bit too good and Stanford dropped it down the right field line for a game-tying two-run double. The Gems then walked Kevin Hawk intentionally to get to Mendenhall and the outfielder from Oregon served a two-run single to right-center, putting the Sweets up 6-4.

That lead as well nearly didn't last long. Sean Santschi walked the first two batters of the inning and the Sweets called in Billen to get out of the jam. The burly lefty induced a fielder's choice ground out to put runners on the corners and walked the next batter to load them for 3-hole hitter Turner Gill. Billen got the big lefty swinging on a 3-2 fastball and got Graham Saiko to fly to center to end the game.

Walla Walla starter Ryan Richardson was the main reason the game got to the eighth 2-1. Making his second start of the summer, Richardson one-upped himself from Opening Night, tossing seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just four hits. He struck out seven, including the last three he faced and retired the final nine batters in order.

Klamath Falls jumped ahead early, scoring a run in the first after their first two batters struck out looking. Gill doubled off the wall in left field and Saiko followed with an RBI single to left. They had a chance to extend the lead in the second, loading the bases with one out but came up empty. Moments after his high throw allowed the bases to be loaded, third baseman Zach Wentz dove to his right down the line, fielding the hard two-hopper, touched the bag and threw across the diamond to complete the inning-ending double play. The Gems had just one baserunner and one hit the rest of the way against Richardson.

The right-hander was working with the lead thanks to a future teammate at Campbellsville, Chance Kopacz. Two Gems erros put runners on first and second in the third and Kopacz split the center and right fielders with a line drive that rolled all the way to the wall. Both runners scored and Kopacz cruised into third with a stand-up triple. But like the Gems, the Sweets only managed three baserunners until their four-run rally in the eighth.

Kopacz was the only Sweet with multiple hits, collecting a double in the fifth and Stanford and Mendenhall each had two RBI. Despite walking two in a third of an inning, Santschi earned the win by striking out the final batter of the eighth. It was Billen's first save of the summer.

Six different Klamath Falls players had a single hit and starter Tom Schmidt earned a no decision. The 6'6 lefty went the first five innings, giving up two runs (both unearned) on three hits. Aaron LaBrie allowed just one single in his only two innings of work but Edwards and Ross were both touched for two runs.

The Sweets and Gems will continue their three-game series on Wednesday night at Borleske Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. It will be Rally Towel Giveaway night at the park and the first 1,000 fans will receive a free Sweets rally towel presented by Holiday Inn Express.

• Discuss this story on the West Coast League message board...

West Coast League Stories from June 15, 2011


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