WALLA WALLA, Wash. (June 24, 2026) – A few timely swings and a strong night on the mound were enough to get the Walla Walla Sweets back on track Wednesday at Borleske Stadium.

The Sweets held Springfield to four hits, scored the go-ahead run in the eighth and received a perfect ninth from Carson McKinney to earn a 4-3 win over the Drifters. The victory snapped Walla Walla’s four-game losing streak and evened the three-game series.

Walla Walla opened the scoring in the second inning. Sam Kane doubled and moved to third before Gunner Geile lifted a sacrifice fly to right, bringing Kane home for a 1-0 lead.

Springfield moved ahead with two runs in the third, but the Sweets answered immediately in the bottom half.

Trevor Tse doubled, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly from Royce Hale, tying the game at 2-2.

Nico Bavaro kept things there in his first start against college-level competition. The young left-hander worked five innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out three. He worked around four walks and gave Walla Walla a chance to take control in the middle innings.

That opportunity came in the sixth.

Troy Osborne opened the inning with a triple, and Kane followed by reaching base. Jaylen Kennedy then brought Osborne home with Walla Walla’s third sacrifice fly of the night, giving the Sweets a 3-2 advantage.

Andrew Cohen took over from there and provided exactly what Walla Walla needed out of the bullpen. The right-hander struck out five across three innings, allowing just one hit and using his swing-and-miss stuff to bridge the game into the ninth.

Springfield tied the game in the top of the eighth, but the Sweets quickly responded.

Kane collected his second hit of the night before Landon Young and Kennedy reached to load the bases. Austin Owens was then hit by a pitch, bringing Kane home with the go-ahead run and putting Walla Walla back in front, 4-3.

McKinney made sure the lead held. The right-hander needed only seven pitches to retire the side in order, striking out one and earning his second save of the summer.

Young led the offense with a 3-for-4 night in just his second game back from injury. He also stole two bases, providing an encouraging performance in his return to the lineup.

Kane went 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice, while Tse doubled, scored and stole a base. Osborne added a triple and a run scored as Walla Walla finished with four extra-base hits among its seven hits.

The Sweets also found productive ways to bring runners home, with Hale, Geile and Kennedy each recording sacrifice flies before Owens delivered the deciding RBI in the eighth.

Bavaro, Cohen and McKinney combined to allow only three runs on four hits while striking out nine. The bullpen surrendered just one hit across four innings.

The Sweets will look to secure the series Thursday, June 25, against the Springfield Drifters. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at Borleske Stadium.