SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — Walla Walla and Springfield have yet to play a close game this year, with the Drifters beating the Sweets 16-9 Saturday night. Walks were the bane of the Sweets late in the game which led to the inflated score.

Springfield jumped up to a 4-1 in the first four innings. It could have been worse with the Drifters collecting nine hits through the first four innings, but left seven on, including back-to-back frames with the bases loaded.

Walla Walla battled back and put up two two-run frames to take a 5-4 lead. In the fifth, Luka Ruljancich and Joel Esparza got back-to-back RBI hits to bring the Sweets within one.

In the sixth, Logan Meyer brought home Stevie Hom to tie the game with an RBI single to center field. Walla Walla took the lead with a sacrifice fly from Chipper Beck scoring Cort MacDonald.

However, that was the last time the Sweets would lead the game. Springfield brought home 12 runs over the next three innings to take a 16-6 lead into the ninth. Eleven of the Sweets’ 14 walks were in those frames that pushed the Drifters ahead.

In the ninth, Walla Walla put three on the board, but 10 runs was to big a hill to climb. The Sweets drew three walks three walks themselves in the ninth to put up the crooked number and got an RBI single from Eugene native Ryan Prescott for the ninth and final run.

The Springfield win evens up the series one game apiece. The loss also drops the Sweets record to 5-13 in the second half and 14-30 overall.

Sunday will be a rubber match between the two teams. Walla Walla looks to win their second series in a row. First pitch is set for 4:05 and Sweets’ coverage of the game can be found on Mixlr.com.