WALLA WALLA, Wash. (July 23, 2026) – The Walla Walla Sweets saved their biggest swing of the series for the eighth inning Thursday night at Borleske Stadium.

Down five runs entering the bottom of the eighth, the Sweets erupted for 13 runs, nearly batted through the order twice and stormed back to beat the Yakima Valley Pippins 16-8 in the series rubber match.

The win gave Walla Walla the series and continued its strong run against Yakima Valley at home, with the Sweets now having avoided a series loss to the Pippins at Borleske Stadium for the fourth straight summer.

Walla Walla jumped ahead early in the first inning. Trevor Tse reached and came around to score on an RBI single from Gaines Haussin, giving the Sweets a 1-0 lead.

The Sweets added another run in the second. Logan Nakamura reached, and Keagan Kelly followed with a hit in his Walla Walla debut. Payton Knowles then doubled to right field, scoring Nakamura and putting the Sweets ahead 2-0.

Walla Walla stretched the lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Haussin scored on an RBI single from Gunner Geile.

Jacob Chandler and Andrew Cohen helped the Sweets protect that early lead. Chandler started the game with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one. Cohen followed with two scoreless innings of his own, striking out four and keeping Yakima Valley off the board through the first four frames.

The Pippins moved in front with a big fifth inning and added two more runs in the sixth, putting Walla Walla behind 8-3.

That score held until the eighth, when the Sweets put together their biggest inning of the season.

Troy Osborne opened the inning with a single before Haussin drove an RBI double into right field. Geile walked, and Austin Owens followed with an RBI double of his own, cutting the deficit to 8-5.

The inning continued from there.

Nakamura walked to load the bases, and Sam Kane followed with a bases-loaded walk to bring home Geile. Knowles then worked another walk to score Owens and make it a one-run game.

Tse delivered one of the biggest swings of the night, clearing the bases with a double to center field and putting Walla Walla back in front, 10-8.

The Sweets were not done.

Haussin came back to the plate later in the same inning and drove his second RBI double of the frame into right field, scoring Tse. Owens later added a two-run single to score Geile and Haussin, pushing the lead to 13-8.

Walla Walla continued to add on through walks, wild pitches and pressure on the bases before Kane singled to bring home two more runs, creating the final 16-8 margin.

The 13-run eighth was the Sweets’ largest single inning of the season and completed their biggest comeback of the summer.

Haussin led the offense with a huge night, going 4-for-6 with three doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored. He entered the game with five doubles on the season and added three more in one night, including two RBI doubles in the eighth inning alone.

Owens finished 3-for-6 with a double and three RBIs, while Tse drove in three with his go-ahead double and scored twice.

Knowles doubled, walked and drove in two runs. Kane entered off the bench and reached twice in the eighth, finishing with a hit, a walk and two RBIs.

Nakamura reached base five times with a hit and four walks, scoring once before Cade Wynn came in to run and scored twice. Kelly also reached four times in his Sweets debut, recording a hit and drawing three walks.

Geile added a hit, three walks, an RBI and two runs scored as Walla Walla finished with 14 hits and 15 walks.

On a night that featured 28 total walks between the two teams, the Sweets stayed patient and turned the game around with their biggest offensive frame of the season.

Rudy Larson handled the ninth and finished off the win. The right-hander worked around a hit and a walk, struck out one and earned his second victory of the summer.

Quade Gonzalez IV and Tre Morse also helped steady the game before the comeback. Gonzalez threw 1.1 scoreless innings, and Morse added a scoreless eighth to keep the deficit at five and give Walla Walla a chance to rally.

The Sweets now head on the road after another memorable night at Borleske Stadium. Walla Walla opens a three-game series against the Portland Pickles on Friday, July 24, at Walker Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m.