Walkoff Single Sends Pippins to Third Straight Loss

Trying to avoid a three game sweep, the Pippins blew a five run lead and a walkoff single in the ninth by Ryan Fish sent the Pippins to their third straight loss.

The Pippins offense got off to a hot start in the first inning. On the first pitch of the game from Jered Akin, Cody Jefferis ripped a double to the left center field wall. Four pitches later, Nick DiCarlo smacked an RBI double down the right field line, scoring Jefferis. Akin recorded three straight outs to escape the inning.

In the bottom of the first, the Falcons answered off of Pippins starter Jake Moberg. Matt Voelzke hit a sharp groundball to third base. Dicarlo picked the ball cleanly, but a low throw to first base got beyond Shawn Grandmont, allowing Voelzke to roll into second. Williams followed with a single, scoring Voelzke. Moberg settled down and with the help of a double play, allowed just one run in the inning.

After scoring just one run over the past two games, the Pippins offense exploded in the third inning. With one out and one on, DiCarlo ripped a single, scoring Tyler Hollow. The Pippins offense followed with four straight baserunners including a two run double by Elijah Greene and an RBI double by Sam Mitchell. With one out and runners at first and second, Victor Cerny skied a ball to centerfield, driving in Greene from third. The sacrifice fly extended the lead to 6-1. Akin would be relieved after the third inning.

The Falcons answered in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs and nobody on, Cody Crowder started a rally with a single. Dan Pruitt followed with an RBI double and Taylor Wright drove in Pruitt with a single, cutting the lead to 6-3.

In the fourth, the Falcons continued to rally off of Moberg. Two walks put runners at first and second with one out. Back to back base hits from Voelzke and Williams brought in three runs, knotting the score at six. After Moberg recorded the second out, Tanner Inouye came in from the bullpen and got out of the inning.

Isaac Olson came out of the bullpen in the fourth for the Falcons and shut down the Pippins through two and a third scoreless innings. The Pippins wouldn’t score again until the seventh inning.

Leading off the seventh inning, DiCarlo smacked a ball over the left field fence for his first home run of the season, giving the Pippins a 7-6 lead.

In the eighth, the Falcons drew even again off of Inouye. With two outs and runners at first and second, Williams hit a ground ball just beyond a diving Hollow and into right field, scoring Tylor Nixon and tying the game up at seven.

After a scoreless top of the ninth, Inouye came back out for the bottom half of the inning. A one out single by Wright and a walk to Trent Tinglestad set up a Ryan Fish single down the right field line, scoring Wright and completing the three game sweep. With the loss, the Pippins dropped their third straight game and suffered their first walk off loss of the season.

The Pippins have a day off of Monday before returning to action in Yakima on Tuesday, opening up a three game series with the Cowlitz Black Bears. First pitch on Tuesday at 6:35.

By Kevin Vallene

June 25, 2018