RIDGEFIELD, WA- The Walla Walla Sweets took the overall season series as they defeated Ridgefield to end their road season with an 8-5 victory in game three. With the win, the Sweets move to 19-32 and 9-15 in the second half.

Walla Walla started off strong taking the lead 1-0 following a Matthew Sauve RBI groundout giving the Sweets the lead after the first inning.

The Raptors bounced back with a decisive inning of work putting together a three-run bottom of the second giving Ridgefield a 3-1 lead. However, that lead didn’t last long as Walla Walla’s offense picked up where the Raptors left off scoring a pair of runs in the next half-inning. Aidan Espinoza started the scoring on a wild pitch to get his great evening going with his first run of the ball game. A moment later the Sweets tied the game at 3 following a Logan Meyer RBI single in the inning.  

Espinoza continued his hot night in the fourth giving Walla Walla the lead on a RBI base hit scoring Vicente Feliciano to give the Sweets the lead back. Espinoza then came in for the second time on the night thanks to Hayden Driggs who flew out on a sacrifice fly giving Walla Walla a 5-3 lead after four. 

Ridgefield came back however with a two-run bottom of the sixth tying the game at 5 going into the seventh.

Espinoza finished 3/5 with 2 RBIs, but his biggest hit of the day came at the most crucial part of the ball game tied at 5 in the top of the eighth. Espinoza changed the trajectory of the contest with one swing of the bat as he took a 1-2 breaking ball deep to right field giving the Sweets a 6-5 lead late. Walla Walla followed up the bomb scoring another two runs due to fielding errors from the Raptors as Walla Walla took game three 8-5 from Ridgefield.

Landon Welter came in relief for Aidan Aitken and closed out the ball game going 4.1 innings with a season-best 8 strikeouts.

Sweets by the Numbers

• Welter went 4.1 IP with 8 Ks 2 ER allowing only 4 H in the win
• Espinoza got his 2nd homer in the last six games and his third multi-hit game in the last four
• Every Sweet recorded at least one trip on base for the second straight contest

 Up Next

The Sweets face off with Portland at home on 8/4/23 at 6:35 PM