Frieders Strikes Out 10 in Win Over Sweets

Offense takes lead in second inning, never looks back in win

The Yakima Valley Pippins snapped a three-game skid with a 9-5 victory over the Walla Walla Sweets in the middle game of their series in Yakima.

The Pippins received a big boost from Tyler Frieders, who gave up just one run over seven innings on the mound. He struck out a season-high 10 batters and gave up just two hits along the way.

Paul Myro led off the second straight game with a walk, then scored on a double by Parker Price to give the Sweets an early 1-0 lead.

The Pippins would not respond until the second inning, when Blake Dickman, Connor Coballes and Chase Graves reached on a walk, single and hit-by-pitch to start the inning with the bases loaded. Spencer Marenco knocked in Dickman and Coballes with a base hit to give the Pippins a lead they would not relinquish.

Noah Williamson led off the third inning with a towering fly ball to the left field corner that knocked Nation Wood’s glove off his hand as he attempted to make the catch. Williamson was sprinting around the bases and ended up on third with a triple, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Dickman to improve the Pippins’ lead to 3-1.

Sweets starter Jake Dahle (0-1, 3.38 ERA) lasted three innings. He gave up six hits and struck out six, and was tagged with the loss.

The Sweets turned to Noah Serna in the fourth, but the Pippins added four runs thanks to four walks and a pair of errors by Price at shortstop.

Frieders (1-1, 4.50 ERA) retired the final 10 batters he faced in order, racking up his final seven strikeouts in that batch, to earn the win.

The Pippins added a run in the seventh and eighth innings, and Joey Cammarata (0-0, 15.75 ERA) gave up a pair of runs in both the eighth and ninth innings to bring the final score to 9-5.

The Pippins (15-5, 9-5) and Sweets (11-9, 7-7) will play for the series win Sunday, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.

By Chris Rosato Jr.

June 27, 2021