Three Homers Lead Pippins Past CCL Showcase Team

Eight-run fourth inning puts game out of reach

The Yakima Valley Pippins scored a season-high 22 runs Sunday to defeat the Cascade Collegiate League’s showcase team and win their 10th-straight game in the process.

The Pippins were aided by three long balls, including a two-out grand slam by Noah Williamson in the bottom of the fourth, and every spot in the lineup scored a run.

Kirby Robertson started on the mound for the Pippins, and turned in six innings while allowing three runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts. He allowed a run in the first inning that put the CCL team in the lead momentarily.

The Pippins would not start their scoring until the second inning, when they scored on a bases loaded walk, hit by pitch and then a Connor Coballes sacrifice fly to take a 3-1 lead.

They would add five more to their total in the third inning thanks to RBI hits from Taylor Holder, Corey Jarrell and Coballes to stretch their lead 8-1. CCL’s starter James Spickelmier was chased in the middle of the inning and took credit for six runs over 2.1 innings.

The CCL showcase team cut the lead to 8-3 in the top of the fourth before Yakima’s bats got even hotter in the bottom half of the inning.

Noah Williamson led off the bottom of the fourth with a 418-foot home run to left field. With two runners on and two outs, Holder hit a 404-foot line drive to left-center field for a three-run home run.

Luke Stutesman was removed after walking Jarrell, but Garrison Eid walked the first two batters he faced to load the bases before Evan Siegel was called upon to try to escape the inning.

Instead, Noah Williamson took him deep for his second home run in the inning and give the Pippins a 16-3 lead.

The Pippins would add one run in each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, while Ben Wills pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings, striking out two along the way.

In the bottom of the eighth, Chaz Myers walked with the bases loaded to force in a run before Holder drove in a run and reached on a fielder’s choice for his seventh RBI of the night.

Peyton Stumbo singled in the final run for the Pippins, and Ryan Arredondo pitched a scoreless ninth inning to put the CCL showcase team away.

The two teams will conclude their series tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. before the Pippins return to West Coast League with a trip to Ridgefield Tuesday-Thursday.

By Chris Rosato Jr.

June 21, 2021