Three Stars: 2021 Pippins Making Their Marks in Spring Season

YAKIMA, Wash. — Members of the 2021 Yakima Valley Pippins are showing their stuff in the early goings of the 2022 season.

Chico State junior Willie Lajoie is hitting .372 (16-for-43) in 12 games (all starts) for the Wildcats this spring, including a 5-for-15 performance in four games this weekend against Sonomo State. Lajoie has four doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs and 19 runs scored on the young season, and has also reached base 8 times by walks and three times getting hit by pitch against five strikeouts.

Washington’s Case Matter, left, and San Diego’s Blake Dickman, teammates on the 2021 Pippins, met up again this past weekend in La Jolla, California. (Photo courtesy of Blake Dickman)

Washington pitcher Case Matter made his first start of the season on Sunday against UC San Diego in La Jolla, California, giving up a double in two innings of work in the Huskies’ 7-0 victory. Matter, who suffered a back injury in the offseason, faced 10 batters, getting three fly outs and three ground outs. San Diego’s Blake Dickman, who played with Matter for the Pippins last summer, didn’t play this weekend. Originally scheduled to rejoin this Pippins this year, Dickman has accepted an opportunity to train and play for the Israeli national team this summer from June to September.

Connor Coballes went 3-for-10 with and RBI, two walks and a hit-by-pitch in Gonzaga’s three-game sweep of Cal State Fullteron this weekend.

By Yakima Valley Pippins

February 27, 2022