WALLA WALLA, Wash. (July 31, 2026) – For the first time since 2019, postseason baseball is coming back to Walla Walla.

The Sweets rallied for four runs in the eighth inning, Sam Kane drove in four and Walla Walla defeated the Portland Pickles 8-6 on Friday night at Borleske Stadium to clinch a spot in the 2026 West Coast League Playoffs.

The win opened the weekend series and gave the Sweets one of their biggest moments of the summer, officially sending Walla Walla back to the postseason for the first time in seven years.

Kane gave the Sweets a fast start in the bottom of the first. Cole Rogers reached base ahead of him, and Kane launched his ninth home run of the summer to put Walla Walla ahead 2-0.

Portland chipped away over the next few innings, scoring once in the second, third and fourth to move in front 3-2.

Walla Walla answered in the bottom of the fourth. Kyler Bittner doubled to get the inning started, and Gaines Haussin followed with an RBI single into left field, scoring Bittner and tying the game at 3-3.

Portland went back in front with two runs in the seventh, but the Sweets again found a response.

Trevor Tse reached and later scored when Kane doubled into left field, cutting the deficit to 5-4 and giving Kane his third RBI of the night.

That set up the eighth inning, where Walla Walla put together the rally that sent Borleske Stadium into celebration mode.

Gunner Geile singled to start the inning, and Rogers followed with a base hit of his own. After Tse walked to load the bases, Gage Reeser put the ball in play, and an error allowed Geile to score the tying run.

Kane came up next and delivered again, lining a single that brought home Rogers and Reeser to put the Sweets ahead 7-5.

Royce Hale followed with an RBI single into left field, scoring Kane and stretching the lead to 8-5.

The Sweets scored four runs in the inning, all with two things they have leaned on throughout the summer: pressure on the bases and timely contact.

Kane led the offense by going 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and two runs scored. His ninth homer of the summer continued one of the top power seasons in the WCL.

Hale added three hits and an RBI, while Haussin finished 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Geile reached three times with two hits and a walk, and Rogers went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base.

Five Sweets finished with multi-hit nights as Walla Walla collected 14 hits as a team.

On the mound, the Sweets got important work from the bullpen after Portland took the lead.

Alex Cohen covered 3.2 innings in relief, striking out two and keeping Walla Walla within striking distance through the middle part of the game.

Hayden Line followed with a clean eighth inning and retired all three batters he faced. The scoreless frame gave the Sweets a chance to rally in the bottom half, and Line earned his first win of the summer.

Rudy Larson took over in the ninth and worked through traffic to close the game. The right-hander struck out one and earned the save, finishing off the playoff-clinching victory.

Line and Larson, both from Lower Columbia College, combined to record the win and save on one of the biggest nights of the season.

Trevor Stowe started the game for Walla Walla and struck out five across 3.1 innings. The Sweets staff finished with eight strikeouts and held Portland scoreless in five of the nine innings.

When the final out was recorded, the win meant more than just another series-opening victory. It locked Walla Walla into the WCL postseason and marked the program’s first playoff berth since 2019.

The Sweets have spent the summer building toward that moment with series wins, comeback victories, big swings and steady pitching. On Friday night, they officially turned that work into a postseason spot.

Walla Walla returns to Borleske Stadium on Saturday, August 1, for game two against the Portland Pickles. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.