WENATCHEE, Wash. — The Sweets came back after falling behind in the first inning for the second time this series against Wenatchee, but a high scoring seventh inning put the AppleSox back in front and out of reach for the Sweets. Despite the 9-5 loss, the Sweets still won their first series of 2024.

Like in the series opener, Wenatchee got on the board first, this time scoring two runs in the opening frame.

Walla Walla began their comeback in the fifth, with Joel Esparza scoring on a throwing error from the Wenatchee shortstop.

The Sweets tied the game in the next inning, with Stevie Hom scoring on a RBI single from JJ Moran.

In the top of the seventh, Walla Walla grabbed the lead for the first time, jumping ahead 4-2. David Mysza slapped a two-RBI single to score Esparza and Kennedy Hara, doubling up the AppleSox.

Through the first six innings, Wenatchee got baserunners, but the Sweets were able to leave them stranded on the basepaths. The AppleSox had left the bases loaded twice through two-thirds of the game. However, in the seventh inning, Wenatchee made Walla Walla pay with a very long inning. Twelve batters stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, bringing home seven runs off six hits and one error. Seven runs is tied for the most runs allowed in a single frame by Sweets’ pitching so far this season. The big inning put Wenatchee up 9-4 with just two innings left to play.

Walla Walla didn’t roll over and scratched a run across in the top of the ninth off an RBI single from Hom to score Davis Mauzy. However, five runs in just two innings was too big a hole for the Sweets, who dropped the series finale 9-5.

Uncharacteristically, even though the Sweets lost, they outhit the AppleSox 14-13. That’s now back-to-back games for the Sweets with 14 and 54 hits over the last four games. Hom and Andrew Graham both extended their hit streaks to nine games.

Going into the game, the Sweets were looking for the first road sweep in eight years, but will settle for their first series victory of the season.

With the loss, Walla Walla falls to 7-13. The Sweets get an off-day on Monday after playing 13 straight days. Walla Walla returns to the diamond Tuesday when they open a three game set with the Springfield Drifters. The Drifters are riding a four game losing streak, all to the first place Corvallis Knights. The series is also the start of a 20-game stretch for the Sweets with no off-days. Their next break after Monday will be the All-Star Break July 15-18.

Sweets’ coverage of the game can be found on YouTube and West Coast League Live on Pixellot.