Pippins Rout CCL with 19-Run Outburst

Yakima Valley erupted for 19 runs and 17 hits on Tuesday en route to a resounding 19-1 win over the Cascade Collegiate League Showcase team at Yakima County Stadium.

Leading 7-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Pippins rolled up 12 runs and nine hits in that frame, with two coming from Jace Phelan — including a towering two-run homer to right field in his second at-bat of the inning. It was Phelan’s fourth homer of the year.

The Pippins had 12 straight batters reach base safely in that inning, including eight on hits.

Left-hander Max Goldberg, formerly a member of the CCL squad, dominated on the mound for Yakima Valley, striking out six and scattering two hits in five shutout innings.

The Pippins bats started early off Boe Hesse. Yakima Valley plated two runs in the second on a two-out, RBI single by Gio Melchione. Maxim Fullerton added an RBI single in the third to bring the lead to 3-0. He finished his night going 2-for-4 and just missed his second homer of the year.

Owen Egan and Konner Kinkade kept the party going in the fifth with back-to-back doubles to extend the lead to five. Kinkade added another two-RBI double in the eighth to finish his night 4 for 6 with two doubles and three RBI.

Melchione and Phelan each finished 3-for-5.

Eight of the nine Pippins batters had hits in the contest.

Yakima Valley opens a two-game nonleague series against the Northwest Star Nighthawks at The Orchard on Wednesday before returning to West Coast League play Friday in Ridgefield.

By Logan Peter

July 12, 2023