YAKIMA, Wash. — The Sweets brought home two runs in the top of the ninth and had the tying run in scoring position but fell short of the Yakima Valley Pippins losing 5-4. Walla Walla outhit the Pippins 10-9 but had trouble finding the clutch hit at the end of the game.

The Sweets struck first in the top of the second off an RBI groundout from Logan Meyer bringing home Stevie Hom. It was only the fourth time in 12 games that the Sweets have scored first this season.

Yakima Valley took the lead an inning later in the third with a two-run home run. The wind was blowing in Yakima Saturday night and Casey Wayne took advantage of it pushing a ball over the right field wall.

The Pippins added another run in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.

The Sweets responded with a run in the fifth off a sacrifice fly from Kennedy Hara to bring home Hayden Driggs. Driggs started the inning off with a double and finished the game with two hits.

The Pippins scored a run in the seventh and eighth innings to get up 5-2. The fifth run was off another home run, this time a solo shot from Mauricio Guardado. The two home runs allowed by the Sweets were the fourth and fifth allowed of the season.

In the ninth, the Sweets put up a valiant effort to comeback. Hom started the frame off by drawing the first and only walk of the game. Alex Sol, who was pinch hitting for an injured Luka Ruljancich, in his WCL Sweets debut dropped a single to right field to put runners at the corners. An RBI ground out brought in one run and moved Sol to second. Meyer got aboard with a single to center field, putting runners at the corners and representing the tying run at first.

Hara brought home Sol and moved Meyer into scoring position with an RBI single. The Sweets were in a prime spot with the tying run on second and the go ahead run on first with only one out, but a double play dashed their hopes and ended the game.

Landon Salvesen got the loss for the Sweets, dropping his record to 1-1. Salvesen tossed the final 1.1 innings and only gave up one hit, but it was the solo home run that wound up winning the game for the Pippins.

With the loss, the Sweets fall to 3-9 and drop game one of the Battle of the Basin. Game two is Sunday in Yakima with first pitch set for 5:05. Fans can listen to the Sweets’ coverage on Mixlr.