Inclement weather halved a scheduled Northwest Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday between Walla Walla Community College and visiting Green River at Warrior Field.
The conditions were such that the scheduled 11 a.m. start time was pushed back to 4 p.m.
In spite of the less-than-satisfactory circumstances, the Warriors overcame an early 1-0 deficit and a 20-minute rain delay to post a 12-2 victory that was called in the middle of the seventh inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.
WWCC improved to 4-1 after the triumph.
“Our guys did a great job of understanding the mentality (required on) days like this,” WWCC coach Dave Meliah said. “It’s not physical, it’s mental. The teams that understand that are the ones that are going to be successful.”
Walla Walla scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning after spotting the Gators an unearned tally in the top half of the frame. Josh Kutzke evened the contest with an RBI single to left field, Blake Macdonald edged the Warriors in front with a bases-loaded walk, and Ryan Riepma lofted a sacrifice fly to center.
A wild pitch netted run No. 4 before Colton Peha ended the rally with a run-scoring triple to right.
“I had a good feeling we’d come out aggressive,” said Meliah, who noted his team benefited from a solid Friday practice and quality pre-game swings on Saturday. “We came out swinging at strikes. We did a great job of (getting) in hitter’s counts and being aggressive in those counts.”
Macdonald upped WWCC’s lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the second when he smacked a two-run double that divided the left-center gap.
Walla Walla scored three more times in the fourth inning. Two of the runs crossed the plate on wild pitches and Cameron Walker contributed an RBI bleeder to left.
In the sixth, Walker ripped a run-producing three-bagger to right-center and scored on a Dylan Wilbert grounder to first.
Starting pitcher Jake Simmons earned the win with five innings of two-run ball while relievers Jacob Haas and Griffin Davis logged a scorless inning apiece. The three hurlers allowed six hits over the course of the game.
The Warriors host Tacoma today at 11 a.m.
