The Walla Walla Community College baseball team outhit Big Bend in both ends of their Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader, but only managed to take the first game at Warrior Field on Wednesday.
Walla Walla started the day with a 5-3 victory, behind seven strong innings from pitcher Austin Haughton, who allowed only two runs (unearned) on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
The Warrior lineup ended up outhitting Big Bend, 9-6, with Sean Coffey and Danny Robinson leading the way with two hits apiece.
The Warriors also outhit Big Bend in the nightcap, 14-13, but the visiting Vikings jumped ahead with a four-run second inning and then scored in each of the final four against six different WWCC pitchers to hand the Warriors a 12-5 loss.
“Austin gave us a great start in game one, but our bullpen really struggled to finish game two,” Warriors coach Dave Meliah said. “We had eight walks over the last four innings. You’re not going to win games doing that.”
Walla Walla (16-16 overall, 7-11 in the East Division) next plays at Blue Mountain in a regional doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. The Warriors go into Saturday’s games tied with Wenatchee Valley and Columbia Basin, one game back of the fourth-place Timberwolves in the NWAC East standings.
The WWCC lineup will look to continue swinging strong bats. Coffey finished the Big Bend doubleheader 5-for-9 with a double, and Robinson went 4-for-8 with two runs batted in.
“I thought we swung the bats well all day,” Meliah said. “Sean Coffey and Danny Robinson both had productive days at the plate.”
First game
Big Bend000002010—362
Walla Walla10002101x—592
Collier, Adams (5), Soltero (8) and Miller, Chaves (8). Haughton, Peterson (8) Ogata (9) and Wood.
HR — Big Bend: Banks.
Hits — Big Bend: Albrecht 2, Banks 2, Kvenvold, Metcalf. WWCC: Coffey 2, Robinson 2, O’Rourke, Martin, Smith, Wood, Garza.
Second game
Big Bend040003131—12131
Walla Walla002100200—5142
Yamane, Knight (6), Tunstall (9) and Kvenvold. Hirai, Kaelber (6), Elu (6), Oldham (7), Baldwin (7), Childs (9) and Wood, Lester (6).
HR — none.
Hits — Big Bend: Almanza 4, Luckey 3, Albrecht 2, Fagerness 2, English, Tolf. WWCC: Coffey 3, Robinson 2, Smith 2, Wood 2, Lafontaine 2, Lester, Martin, Ingram.
Union Bulletin
