PORTLAND, Ore. — The Sweets played their ninth and final game against the Portland Pickles Monday night, falling 9-2. The regular season series ends with Portland taking eight of the game.

Walla Walla took the first lead of the game bringing home a run in the opening frame. Davis Mauzy and David Mysza led the inning off with back-to-back singles. With two on and nobody out, Andrew Graham laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. However, the Pickles starter who fielded the ball overthrew first base, allowing Mauzy to round third and come into score. Walla Walla left the other two runners on, but for the second straight game against the Pickles, the Sweets score first.

Unfortunately, the Pickles retaliated over the course of the next three innings. Portland brought home three runs in the first, three in the second, and two in the third to take an 8-1 lead.

After the game was well in hand the Pickles went into cruise control, only striking for one more run.

Walla Walla kept fighting and collected six more hits to bring their total to eight but could not find the big hit to bring home more runs. The Sweets got their second final run in the fifth. Kennedy Hara led the inning off with a double that dropped right in between the left and center fielders. After moving up on a groundout, he came into score on an RBI single from Graham.

Hara had two hits in the game, including his first double of the season. That is his fourth multi-hit game of the year. Luka Ruljancich was the other Sweet with a multi-hit game, knocking a single in the second and the ninth.

On the mound, Rex Solle pitched a solid middle four innings, only allowing two runs of five hits and striking out five.

With the loss, the Sweets fall to 0-4 in the second half and 9-21 overall. It is also their sixth straight WCL loss in a row.

Walla Walla stays on the road for the next three days playing a three-game set with Ridgefield Raptors. The Raptors are 13-16 and are four and half games ahead of the Sweets in the wild card Standings. First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m., pushed back an hour due to excessive heat in Ridgefield, Washington, and a turf field at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex. Sweets’ coverage of the game can be found on Mixlr.com.