YAKIMA, Wash. (May 29, 2026) – The Walla Walla Sweets opened the 2026 West Coast League season with a loud offensive statement Friday night, racking up 12 hits and battling deep into the late innings in an 11-9 Opening Day loss with the Yakima Valley Pippins at Yakima County Stadium.

Walla Walla scored nine runs, stole three bases, launched a go-ahead home run and received several strong individual performances in Head Coach Leo Rivera’s first game of the new summer.

The Sweets wasted no time getting started. Payton Knowles and Troy Osborne both reached base and came around to score in the top of the first inning, with Gaines Haussin and Gunner Geile each driving in runs on sacrifice flies to give Walla Walla an early 2-0 lead.

Yakima Valley moved in front with a four-run fourth inning, but the Sweets continued to stay within striking distance before the lineup broke through in a big way late.

Trailing 4-2 entering the seventh, Walla Walla put together its best inning of the night. Austin Owens and Logan Nakamura helped set the table before Knowles brought in a run with a sacrifice fly. Osborne followed with an RBI double to center field to tie the game, and Geile delivered another extra-base hit moments later, doubling home Osborne to put the Sweets back in front.

The rally kept building from there. Nate Petz singled home Geile, and Landon Runyan came off the bench to add an RBI single of his own, capping a five-run inning that gave Walla Walla a 7-4 advantage.

After Yakima Valley trimmed the lead in the bottom half, the Sweets answered right back in the eighth. Nakamura reached base ahead of Knowles, who launched a two-run home run to right field to extend the lead to 9-6 and complete a three-RBI night.

The Pippins rallied in the bottom of the eighth to retake the lead, but the Sweets’ offense showed plenty to build on in the season opener.

Knowles led the way with three RBIs, two runs scored and his first home run of the summer. Osborne finished 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored, while Petz collected three hits and drove in a run. Nakamura reached base three times, scored twice and stole a base, and Runyan made an immediate impact off the bench with a run-scoring single.

The Sweets also showed activity on the bases, with Petz, Owens and Nakamura each recording stolen bases.

On the mound, Tre Morse turned in a strong relief appearance, tossing three hitless innings while striking out four. The Walla Walla pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts on the night.

Despite the final score, Walla Walla showed several encouraging signs in its first game of the season, from the depth of the lineup to the late-inning response and the ability to keep pressure on Yakima Valley throughout the night.

Head Coach Leo Rivera and the Sweets will continue their season-opening series against the Pippins on Saturday, May 30, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. at Yakima County Stadium.