PENDLETON — Walla Walla Community College split a pair of one-run games here Saturday in Northwest Athletic Conference East Region baseball action.
The Warriors took a 4-1 lead in the opener only to see Blue Mountain battle back to tie the game at 4-4 after seven. Cameron Walker knocked in a run for the Warriors in the WWCC eighth, but the Timberwolves threatened in the home ninth.
With two outs, BMCC got the tying run to second, but Talon Derrick was summoned from the Warrior pen. Derrick got the last out to preserve the Warrior 5-4 win.
Walker, with two hits, led the Warrior offense in game one.
The nightcap turned into a pitching duel as Blue Mountain’s Austin Wilson made a first-inning run stand up through six. Jordan Ackerman’s sacrifice fly to center produced the Timberwolves’ unearned run that Wilson made stand until the seventh.
Walker blanked BMCC after the first, but the Warriors trailed 1-0 heading to the seventh. Cody Price drew a walk and Dylan Wilbert doubled Price home to tie the game at 1-1. Walker completed his work with a scoreless seventh and left in a 1-1 tie having given up two hits and one unearned run.
“Cam gave a really good effort,” WWCC coach Dave Meliah said. “We let his effort go to waste by not making some offensive adjustments.”
After a scoreless eighth and ninth, the Timberwolves went to work in the home tenth. Nolan Weber drew a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved to to third on a ground out. Another wild pitch scored Weber and BMCC had the 2-1 win and a split of the doubleheader.
WWCC stands 2-2 in East play and will travel to Wenatchee Valley Wednesday.
“The region is so balanced, it’s going to be close, tough games every time we play,” Meliah said. “Winning is going to come down to throwing strikes, making routine plays and getting big hits when you need them. We did that at times today, but not the whole day and that’s the difference in only getting one win. The season is a marathon so we have time to get better. Hopefully, our guys will keep working hard to do that.”
