WALLA WALLA, Wash. — One day after runs were at a premium for the Sweets, Walla Walla poured on the offense against the Cowlitz Black Bears winning 14-4. It was the seventh time the Sweets scored ten or more runs this season.

Cowlitz got a run in the first, but their lead did not last long. In the bottom of the second, Walla Walla brought home three runs to take a lead they would not lose for the rest of the game. Kolby Felix got the frame started with a leadoff double, and then was brought home on an overthrow from the Cowlitz second baseman one batter later. Joey Winters reached on the error and was brought home off an RBI single from Joel Esparza. The final run scored off an RBI single from David Mysza scoring Luka Ruljancich.

In the middle three innings, Walla Walla got a run in each frame. Esparza brought home his second run of the game with an RBI single in the fourth that scored JJ Moran.

In the fifth, a bobble by the Cowlitz short stop on a grounder hit by Felix scored Stevie Hom.

In the sixth, a wild pitch brought home Esparza for his first run of the game.

During that stretch, Cowlitz scored two runs to stay within striking distance of the Sweets. In the top of the seventh, Cowlitz got with two making the score 6-4. That’s when the Sweets really opened the game up.

In the bottom half of the seventh, the Sweets brought home five runs. Moran brought home the first run with an RBI double that scored Cort MacDonald. The double also moved Winters to third base. With two runners on, Mason Millar came into pinch hit and cranked a ball over the left field wall for his first homer of the season. The ball was 98 mile per hour off the bat of Millar and traveled 353 feet for the three run blast.

The scoring didn’t end there though with still two outs left to get for the Black Bears. Esparza got his third knock of the game and was brought home on Mysza’s third hit of the game. For both of them, three hits tied a season high.

It was just the fourth time this season Walla Walla had scored five or more runs in a single inning.

In the eighth, the Sweets added their final three runs. Felix and Winters both drew walks to bring up Moran, who hammered a ball just above the tall wall in left field for the second three-run homer of the night. For Moran, it was his second dinger of the season. It was also the second game of the year with two home runs for the Sweets, the first being July 26 at Springfield.

On the mound, Hunter Polley made his final start before heading back to Georgia Gwinnet and picked up his second win of the season. The hometown pitcher also struck out five batters in five innings of work.

Landon Salvesen, Bridger Clontz and Ryan Prescott all came out of the bullpen for the Sweets and took care of business on the mound.

As a team, the Sweets tied their season high in hits with 15. They matched their total on June 2 against the Bend Elks back in the third game of the season.

With the win, the Sweets take their fifth series of the season. Their record improves to 9-15 in the second half and 18-32 overall. Combined with the Cowlitz loss, and Springfield and Yakima Valley also losing, Walla Walla now moves into a four-way tie for fifth place overall in the South Division.

Walla Walla looks to make it a clean sweep over the Black Bears Sunday, which would be the first sweep of the season. First pitch is set for 6:05 and Sweets’ coverage of the game can be found on their YouTube channel.