Pippins Edge Sweets 2-1 in Battle of Basin Opener

Ethan Salscheider tossed six solid innings, and Beck Maguire drove in both Yakima Valley runs as the Pippins beat the Walla Walla Sweets on Friday at Yakima County Stadium.
The sibling rivalry series, dubbed the “Battle of the Basin,” continues Saturday, with Game 2 of the three-game set beginning at 5:35 p.m. Walla Walla took two of the three games against the Pippins in Walla Walla in June.
Salscheider, headed to Hawaii-Hilo in the fall, scattered seven hits and allowed one earned run to earn the win. He struck out two and didn’t walk a batter. Julian Taudin-Chabot notched the save, walking two but allowing no hits in the ninth.
Maguire didn’t get a hit in the game — the Pippins only had three — but generated all the runs for YV. With runners on the corners in the fourth, Maguire laid a bunt down the first-base line that allowed Owen Egan to score for the game’s first run. In the sixth, Maguire ripped a line drive into left field, scoring Egan once again.
Hayden Driggs went 2-for-3 and Vicente Feliciano finished 2-for-5 for the Sweets, who outhit Yakima Valley 8-3.
Pippins relievers Andy Evans and Joey Harmon each tossed a scoreless inning for the Pippins. Evans allowed one hit, and Harmon walked one batter.
Sweets starting pitcher Otho Savage gave up only two hits and both Yakima Valley runs over 5.1 innings to absorb the loss. Kyle Fitzgerald struck out four and walked one in 2.2 innings of relief.
By Logan Peter
July 29, 2023