BEND, Ore. (July 2, 2026) – Perry Stow gave the Walla Walla Sweets seven dominant innings Thursday night, but a late run in the ninth decided a tightly contested series finale.

Stow allowed just one run on three hits, Tyler Smith struck out the side in relief and the Sweets tied the game late before falling 2-1 to the Bend Elks at Vince Genna Stadium.

The result gave Bend the series after Walla Walla opened the week with a 2-0 shutout victory.

Stow delivered his best start of the summer and kept the Sweets within one throughout the night. The right-hander worked seven innings, allowing only three hits and one walk while striking out seven.

Bend scored the first run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but Stow did not allow another runner to cross the plate.

He settled into a groove after the early run and worked efficiently, needing only 80 pitches to record 21 outs. Stow threw 52 strikes and held Bend scoreless over his final five innings.

Walla Walla’s offense had limited opportunities early, but the Sweets broke through in the eighth.

Ronan Scoffield opened the inning with a single, recording his second hit of the summer. Austin Owens followed with a single of his own, and Bo Stinson worked a walk to load the bases.

Payton Knowles then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing Scoffield home and tying the game at 1-1.

Knowles finished with a hit and Walla Walla’s only RBI. After returning to the lineup Wednesday, he collected a triple, a single and two RBIs over the final two games of the series.

Smith entered in the bottom of the eighth and immediately took control. The right-hander struck out all three batters he faced in the inning, preserving the tie and sending the game to the ninth.

He added another strikeout in the final frame, but Bend pushed across the winning run with two outs to take the 2-1 victory.

Stow and Smith combined to hold the Elks to four hits and two walks while striking out 10. Bend managed only one hit after the second inning until the game’s final at-bat.

Scoffield scored Walla Walla’s lone run and continued to make an impact in limited opportunities. The incoming Washington State freshman recorded the first hit and RBIs of his collegiate career in Sunday’s first-half finale before adding another hit Thursday.

Owens also singled and walked, while Gage Reeser and Stinson each reached base and stole a bag. Knowles recorded Walla Walla’s other hit.

The Sweets played error-free defense for the third time during the series and received another outstanding performance from the pitching staff, which allowed only eight runs over the three games in Bend.

Walla Walla now returns to Borleske Stadium for a Fourth of July weekend series against the Ridgefield Raptors, the WCL South first-half champions. The series begins Friday, July 3, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.