BEND, Ore. — The Walla Walla Sweets got their first win of the 2024 season Sunday evening, beating the Bend Elks 10-6. The Sweets brought home five runs in the eighth inning to secure the victory.

After giving up three runs in the second inning which put the Elks up 3-1, starter Liam Hohenstein found his groove on the mound and retired 12 straight batters from the third through the sixth inning. The righty from Colorado Mesa tossed a season high six innings and tied a season high with five strikeouts.

The Sweets responded at the plate with three runs of their own in the fourth inning. Nine batters stepped up to the plate in the frame and raked in five hits to put Walla Walla up 4-3.

Like the first two games of the series, Bend took the lead late in the game, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh to go up 6-4.

Unlike the last two nights, the Sweets answered the call and put up a five run frame in the top of the eighth. Outdoing the fourth inning, Walla Walla sent 10 batters to the plate. The rally started with a Luka Ruljancich single and then back-to-back hit by pitches loaded the bases for the top of the order. Davis Mauzy, who already tied the game once with a two-RBI triple in the fourth, gave the Sweets the lead with another two-RBI base hit to right field. The ball then kicked off the right fielder’s foot allowing a third run to score giving the Sweets a 7-6 lead and putting Mauzy on second.

Walla Walla added insurance with Andrew Graham slapping a single to left field to bring home Mauzy, and then was brought home himself with an RBI single from Max Samson.

The Sweets added a final run to take a 10-6 lead in the ninth with Mauzy bringing home Logan Meyer with an RBI double. In total, Mauzy finished the game 4-for-6 with five RBI.

Jesiah Zamora tossed the final two innings for the Sweets and didn’t allow a run to earn the first save of the season. The sophomore from CSU San Bernardino also struck out two.

Bridger Clontz received the win for the Sweets as he was the pitcher in the bottom of the seventh before Walla Walla took the lead in the eighth.

As a team, the Sweets brought home 10 runs on 15 hits.

Six players had multi-hit games. Mauzy led the way with four, Ruljancich had three, and Graham, Kolby Felix, Samson, and Joel Esparza all had two.

Walla Walla had 10 more batters reach base via walks, hit by pitches, and errors from the Elk defense. It was as if the flood gates opened after back-to-back one-run losses.

The win avoids the sweep and improves the Sweets’ record to 1-2. Walla Walla stays on the road for their next series as they travel to Portland for a three game series with the Pickles. The Sweets’ next six games are all against the Pickles as they will open their home schedule June 7 against Portland as well.