Pippins Offense Goes Stale as Drifters Take Series

Scoring eight unanswered runs over the final seven innings, the Springfield Drifters on Sunday beat the Yakima Valley Pippins 10-3 and took two of the three games in the weekend series at The Orchard.
After falling behind 2-0 after the first inning, the Pippins got on the board with the help of two errors and four free passes given up by Drifters starting pitcher Thomas Balhous. But that was all the offense the Pippins could muster.
Yakima Valley left eight runners in scoring position for the second straight night, including two separate lead off doubles in the third and sixth innings.
Springfield took a 5-3 lead in the third after a two-out, two-RBI single by Charlie Updegrave, which ended up being all the Drifters needed. Springfield added another run in the sixth and seventh, and three more in the ninth to clinch the series.
Jace Phelan and Chris Clement, celebrating a birthday, both went 2-for-4 for the Pippins.
Ryan Cooney led the Drifters’ 15-hit effort with a 4-for-5 performance and three RBI.
After an off-day Monday, the Pippins head to Corvallis for a three-game series against the second-half South Division-leading Knights.
By Logan Peter
July 24, 2023