With the first Sweets game at Borleske Stadium since 2019 coming up in 50 days, the red and blue are putting the final touches on their 2021 roster.

The Sweets announced Thursday that they have signed pitcher Will Grimm and catcher Colin Wetterau for the 2021 campaign. This season will be the first in the West Coast League for both players.

Grimm, a freshman at Loyola Marymount University out of the West Coast Conference, gives the Sweets an effective southpaw in the pitching staff.

While he is listed as a pitcher, the Lions have primarily used him as a hitter in his first collegiate season. The California product launched a home run in his latest game on April 20, against USC.  This season, Grimm is hitting .263 with four RBI’s and six runs.

Prior to LMU, Grimm attended Crescenta Valley High School and was a four-year starter under manager Phil Torres. He was recognized  as CIF SS Div. II, All CIF Baseball First Team, and First Team All-League Baseball for Spring 2019. He was well on his way to earning those feats in 2020 as well before the season was cut short, as he threw 24 consecutive scoreless innings to begin the year.

Grimm is the second pitcher from LMU to join the Sweets, along with right-hander Mason Kokodynski.

Moving over to the east coast, Colin Wetterau becomes the third catcher to join the Sweets roster along with Jack Sheward and Quentin Ayers.

Wetterau is in his third season at St. John’s and is listed as a redshirt sophomore. The New Jersey native got off to a hot start for the Red Storm this season, picking up a hit in six of his first seven games.

Wetterau brings another efficient bat to the Sweets lineup and is an effective hitting catcher. He is hitting .280 this year for the Red Storm with 6 RBI’s and has displayed a good eye at the dish, drawing six walks.

Wetterau is the second member of the Red Storm to head out west for collegiate summer baseball, joining teammate Justin Folz. The Medford, New Jersey, product was a top-five catcher in New Jersey out of high school and was an all-conference selection in football as well.

Outside of baseball, Wetterau majors in business and lists Chase Utley as his favorite athlete.

A Tuesday edition of the Wrap Up is here!

With just a month left of games remaining for many schools across the country, teams are beginning to jockey for position in their respective conference standings hoping to secure a spot in the college baseball postseason.

See who left an impact this past week as we dive into another edition of the Wrap Up.

Brock’s Big Day

As the weather begins to heat up, so does Brock Ephan.

The power right handed hitter and 2019 Sweets alum continued his recent tear at the plate this weekend on the road against Saint Martin’s.  In game one of Friday’s double header, the senior infielder feasted at the plate, going 2 for 4, with a double, home run, and three runs batted in for Lewis-Clark State College.

The big day helped propel Ephan and the Warriors to a 10-3 win on the day, and extend their win streak to 22 games in a row.  Ephan raised his batting average to a season high .362 over the weekend, with 12 home runs and 45 RBI’s to add to his impressive season stat line.

The Warriors would see their win streak come to an end in the second game of the double header Friday, falling 7-5.  LCSC will look to start a new streak this Friday when they host the College of Idaho.

Folz strong in return to the Diamond

Due to COVID-19 protocols in the St. John’s baseball program, the Red Storm had to cancel 7 games between March 26 and April 3.  They recently got the go ahead to return to play last weekend at Xavier, but were missing a key bat in their lineup.

That changed this past Friday, as Sweets signee Justin Folz made his return to the lineup.  And the junior infielder looked ready to be back. 

Folz was in the starting lineup for St. John’s on the weekend as they visited Georgetown University for a three game series.  He would go a combined 3 for 10 at the plate, with his best game coming Sunday where he went 2 for 4 with a double, home run, and 2 runs batted in.

Although St. John’s would drop 2 of 3 against the Hoyas, being able to return to the field had to feel good for Folz and the Red Storm.  Folz looks to re-establish his early season success this weekend as St. John’s returns home to host Seton Hall.

Ayers lifts Nighthawks to victory

With two on and two out in a tie game, Northwest Nazarene was looking for one big hit to take command of Saturday’s game one double header against Montana State Billings.  Up to the plate stepped freshman catcher Quentin Ayers.

Four pitches later, Quentin Ayers had left the yard.

The Sweets signee took a 2-1 pitch and smacked it over the left field fence, giving the Nighthawks a 7-4 lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the game.  NNU would add two more insurance runs and take the game 9-5.

The home run was Ayers first on the season, and it couldn’t have come at a more important time.  The win helped propel the Nighthawks to a four game weekend sweep of the Yellowjackets, as they continue to put together an impressive 2021 season.  Now sitting with a 23-5 record, Ayers and his teammates seem poised to make some noise in the division II playoffs later this spring.

NNU will host Saint Martin’s University next in conference play as they look to add to their impressive season resume.

Across the Diamond

Other notable performances from across the college baseball world:

Cal Baptist first baseman John Glenn (Sweets 2017 alum) was a combined 3 for 13 on the weekend against Dixie State. The senior drove in 2 runs and scored 3 times for the Lancers.

Cal Baptist right hander Matt Amrhein (‘17) appeared in all three games this past weekend.  The senior went a combined 6 ⅓ innings, allowing just 3 runs on 6 hits and striking out 4 as the Lancers took two of three games against Dixie State in the series.

Sweets signee Jacob Dahlstrom started two games this weekend for Bellevue College.  The sophomore right hander had his best game Sunday, going 6 innings allowing 2 runs on just 2 hits and striking out 4 in the Bulldogs 5-4 win.

California right hander Sean Sullivan (‘18) started Saturday’s game against the visiting Oregon State Beavers.  The junior went 6 innings, scattering 8 hits and allowing 2 runs, striking out 5 in a low run scoring 2-1 loss.

Sweets signee Nate Dahle made a relief appearance Sunday for the College of Southern Idaho.  The freshman right hander went 1 inning of scoreless work in the Golden Eagles 10-2 loss against Salt Lake CC.

Another College of Southern Idaho and Sweets signee Jacob Dahle started Saturday’s game.  The sophomore right hander went 4 innings, giving up just 3 hits and striking out 2 as he didn’t allow an earned run in the 4-2 loss against Salt Lake CC.

Sweets signee Jordan Stubbings went 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI for Colorado Mesa in their 27-4 route of Regis College in Sunday’s game one of the double header.

Sweets signee Jackson Lapiner had a pinch hit RBI double to help Golden West Coast win 13-3 against Santa Ana.

Northwest Nazarene senior Ben Johnson (‘19) went a combined 4 for 10 with 2 RBI’s on the weekend in their four game sweep at Montana State Billings.

Sweets signee Spencer Schwehr picked up the win in NNU’s game two one against Montana State Billings.  The left hander went 5 ⅔ innings striking out 4 in the Nighthawks 10-5 win.

Sweets signee Dylan Schwartz pitched 2 scoreless innings for Pepperdine Sunday against Gonzaga.  The freshman right hander allowed just 1 hit and struck out a batter in a 11-6 losing effort.

Infielder Seth Ryberg played both games of Point Loma’s Saturday double header against Biola.  The Sweets signee was a combined 3 for 7 with stolen base in the two games.

UCLA freshman outfielder Emmanuel Dean (‘19) went 1 for 2 with an RBI in the Bruins 20-0 drubbing of the University of Utah.

Oregon right hander Andrew Mosiello (‘19) picked up the win for the Ducks Sunday against USC.  The freshman pitched 2 innings of relief, allowing just 1 run on 1 hit and striking out 3 in Oregon’s 7-5 comeback win.

University of Washington redshirt junior Michael Petrie (‘19) went a combined 4 for 12 at the plate this weekend.  The Huskies swept their weekend three game series against Texas State.

2017 marked the eighth season of Walla Walla Sweets baseball and the second under manager Frank Mutz. The Sweets brought in plenty of new faces for the 2017 campaign as they looked to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2013.

The Sweets began their 2017 season on a high note, sweeping Wenatchee to start the year and winning four of their first six games. The Sweets balanced offense played a big role in that start. Ultimately, the Sweets finished the 2017 season with eight different hitters batting above .280, the highest mark for any Sweets team in club history.

Many members of the Sweets lineup were recognized for their impressive numbers. Third baseman and Gonzaga product Nick Nyquist was the lone member of the roster to be named to the WCL All-League First Team.  He finished the season with 55 hits, 36 runs, 24 RBI’s, and 12 doubles.

J.J. Hancock, an outfielder, was also recognized for his efforts at the plate. Hancock paced the Sweets and finished top five in the WCL with a .360 average. He scored 28 runs and collected 58 hits, 12 doubles, four triples and 22 runs batted in. These numbers earned him a spot on the WCL All-League Second Team.

On the pitching side, Chris Lincoln led the way for the Sweets and earned All-League Second Team honors as well. Lincoln posted a 1-1 record for Walla Walla across nine appearances and six starts. He finished the season with an ERA of 4.05 while striking 36 batters out in 33.1 innings of work.

The Sweets ultimately missed out on the 2017 postseason by 3.5 games, finishing with a record of 25-29. The Sweets finished fourth in the WCL in attendance, bringing in just under 35,000 fans for the season. The Sweets had a solid first half, finishing 15-12. Unfortunately, they finished one game out of a playoff spot to the Bellingham Bells.

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The 2016 Walla Walla Sweets managed to get back to their winning ways and finish the season above .500 under second year manager Frank Mutz. A veteran-laden roster filled with several future pros amassed a record of 30-24 but just missed out on the postseason in a competitive North Division.

The Sweets won seven of their final ten games to conclude the 2016 season. The Sweets saw five different players earn all-WCL honors and several others make the All-Star team as well. University of Washington product Willie MacIver was named to the WCL First Team and was second in the league in average, batting just under .330. He also led the team in home runs (4) and RBI’s with 33.

In total, the Sweets had five players participate in the 2016 WCL All-Star Game. Four players made the WCL Second Team, including second teamers Jarren Duran (Long Beach State), Chris Murphy (San Diego), Bobby Ay (Cal Poly), and Kyle Narahara (Cal State Monterey Bay). The Sweets had four different pitchers post an ERA of under 2.30

The Sweets were once again near the top in attendance for collegiate summer teams in 2016 as well. This season marked the second highest win total in a year for the Sweets and the second time they reached the 30-win plateau.

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We are now two full months into the college baseball season.

As we take a look back at the week eight performances from current and former Sweets players, one can’t help and look at the calendar and realize:  We are almost halfway through April!  Soon enough the college baseball playoffs will be here and the fight for conference championships will heat up.

But before we look too far ahead, let’s look back on the week that was in this edition of the Wrap Up.

Sensational Weekend for Stubbings

Colorado Mesa slugger and Sweets signee Jordan Stubbings was in the zone this past weekend.

The power hitting junior infielder brought plenty of offense to the Mavericks lineup in their weekend matchup against visiting MSU Denver.  In the four game series, Stubbings went a combined 9 for 17 at the plate, with 2 home runs and driving in 6 as Colorado Mesa would sweep the weekend series.

MSU Denver, ranked 19 in NCAA Division II, stood no chance against Stubbings and the Mavericks.  The closest game of the series ended in a 7-4 win for Colorado Mesa, with the three other games resulting in the Mavericks scoring at least 12 runs in their wins.

Stubbings continues to put together an impressive season.  Always a presence in the middle of the Mavericks lineup, Stubbings has now raised his season average to .418, with 7 home runs and 27 RBI’s in 22 games this season.

The number one ranked Mavericks look to hold on to their spot atop the Division II rankings when they visit Regis University next weekend for a four game series.

Ephan’s Power on Full Display

We’ve mentioned before in the Wrap Up about Brock Ephan’s power hitting ability.  This weekend, he showed us again why opposing pitcher’s fear him.

Ephan and the Lewis-Clark State Warriors went on the road this weekend to face Corban University and the 2019 Sweets alum made sure to bring some home run swings with him. 

Starting and playing in three of the Warriors four games, Ephan went a combined 7 for 11 on the weekend, adding 2 more home runs to his season total and driving in 8 runs.  LCSC would sweep the four game weekend series and improve their record to an incredible 30-2 mark, and 23-1 in conference play.

Ephan continues to heat up as the season goes on.  He now boasts a .342 season batting average, with 10 home runs and 11 doubles to add to his season tally.  The senior from Hawaii shows no sign of slowing down, as he looks to continue his impressive offensive display next Friday at Saint Martin’s.

Solid Debut For Dahlstrom

It was finally time to play ball for Jacob Dahlstrom.

The Sweets signee and Bellevue College right hander kicked off NWAC play this weekend to start their season, and Dahlstrom was ready to go.  Starting in game one of Sunday’s double header at Everett, the freshman turned in an impressive performance, going 4 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits while striking out 7 without walking a batter.

The start by Dahlstrom was complimented by an abundance of run support on the day, as Bellevue scored 8 runs in the first 2 innings as they cruised to a 17-3 win.

Dahlstrom, a tall 6’7” right hander, and his teammates were making their first appearances of the season.  The NWAC conference recently announced approval to play for the spring season for teams across the state of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Bellevue next plays April 16 in their home opener against Edmonds College.

Across the Diamond

Other notable performances from across the college baseball world:

Cal Baptist first baseman John Glenn (Sweets 2017 alum) went a combined 3 for 10 on the weekend with an RBI against Cal State Fullerton. 

Cal Baptist pitcher Matt Amrhein (‘17) made two appearances on the weekend.  The right hander went a combined 1 ⅔ innings, allowing 3 hits and struck out 1 while not allowing a run as the Lancers dropped two of three games on the weekend to Cal State Fullerton.

College of Idaho right hander Dimick Wood (‘18-’19) picked up the win in his start against Eastern Oregon on Sunday.  The junior went 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits while striking out 8 in the Yotes 6-5 win.

Lewis-Clark State College redshirt sophomore Bryson Spagnuolo (‘19) pitched in relief in Sunday’s game against Corban University.  The right hander went 1 inning of scoreless ball, striking out a batter.

Northwest Nazarene was back in action this weekend against Western Oregon.

Senior Ben Johnson (‘19) played in all 4 games for NNU.  He started game one of Saturday’s double header that ended in a 9-8 win for the Nighthawks.  The right hander went 3 ⅓ innings, striking out 3.

Right hander Nick Irwin came on in relief for both games on Friday.  The sophomore’s best outing was in game two, where Sweets signee pitched an inning of scoreless ball for the Nighthawks.

Freshman catcher Quentin Ayers started in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader for NNU.  The Sweets signee went 2 for 4 with an RBI in the Nighthawks 9-8 win.

Left hander Spencer Schwehr started in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader for NNU.  The sophomore and Sweets signee went 6 ⅓ innings in his outing, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits while striking out 6.  The Nighthawks would rally for 3 runs in their last at bat to win 4-3.

UCLA junior Jack Filby (‘18) pitched an inning of relief for the Bruins in their Saturday matchup against Stanford.  The right hander didn’t allow a run in his 1 inning of work as UCLA would drop the game to Stanford 11-6.

UCSB right hander Conner Roberts (‘17) came on to pitch in relief of Sunday’s game for the Gauchos.  The junior went 2 innings allowing 1 hit and striking out 3 in the Gauchos 7-3 loss to CSUN.

University of Washington catcher Michael Petrie (‘19) was a combined 3 for 8 at the plate over the weekend for the Huskies.  The redshirt junior added an RBI in Sunday’s win against Arizona State.

USC left hander Isaac Esqueda (‘17) was solid again in his latest start for the Trojans on Friday.  The junior picked up his fourth win of the year, going 6 innings, allowing no runs on just 3 hits while striking out 3 as USC beat Dixie State 14-1.

Washington State University right hander Caden Kaelber appeared twice over the weekend for the Cougars.  The Sweets signee went a combined 1 ⅔ innings, striking out 3 without allowing an earned run, as the redshirt sophomore helped the Cougars take two of three games over the weekend against Utah.

Western Oregon senior Mike Peterson (‘18) started game one of Friday’s double header against Northwest Nazarene.  Peterson went 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on just 3 hits while striking out 7.  The right hander picked up the win as the Wolves would win 3-2.

Two class of 2021 graduates will get their first taste of collegiate baseball this summer in Walla Walla.

The Sweets signed two University of Arizona commits Thursday in Tyler Whitaker and Matthew Clark. Clark primarily plays the outfield while Whitaker plays third base, right field and left field.

Hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, by way of Bishop Gorman High School, Whitaker is a versatile outfielder with good arm strength. He’s topped 90 miles per hour on his fastball while pitching for Bishop Gorman as well and has great speed on the base paths.

Manager Larry Price is excited about the two newest additions to the Sweets.

“Tyler Whitaker comes to the Sweets with a tall 6-foot-4 frame and plus 200 pounds,” Price said. “He runs very well and also has a strong arm.”

Whitaker also projects as a powerful bat for the Sweets and the Wildcats. He has a fluid, balanced swing and is capable of hitting for power to all fields due to his high bat speed.

Clark, a resident of Upland, California by way of Damien High School, brings a similar skillset to the table. Clark brings great defensive intangibles to the table and shows good fundamentals in the outfield defensively. The Damien High School senior has a strong arm and has a compact and quick release when throwing the ball.

“Matthew Clark comes to the Sweets as a solid 6-foot-2, strong 205 pound outfielder who runs well,” Price said.

Clark adds another right-handed bat to the Sweets lineup. He’s proven capable of hitting behind runners and hitting the ball to all fields. He excels at making solid contact and can hit pitches effectively from anywhere in the zone.

The two signings continue to showcase the Sweets’ pipeline to the Pac-12. Clark and Whitaker are the fifth and sixth players to sign with the Sweets from the Pac-12 conference, with players from Washington State, UCLA and Oregon State on the roster as well.

“The Sweets are very fortunate to have these University of Arizona commits,” Price said.

WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Larry Price, who was an assistant coach with Walla Walla in 2019, has been elevated to interim head coach of the Sweets for 2021.

Price, whose baseball history dates back decades at the high school and college levels, steps in for Jeff Cirillo, who was hired as Sweets head coach in early 2020 before COVID-19 canceled last year’s West Coast League season.

A family emergency will prevent Cirillo from coaching this summer, and all parties agreed this was the best path forward, Sweets general manager Cody Miller said.

“I’m unfortunately unable to be in Walla Walla this season, but remain fully committed to the Sweets. We’ve recruited a great team this year and I hope to be able to share in the return of baseball to Walla Walla,” said Cirillo, a former Major League All-Star. Cirillo is also a partner of Pacific Baseball Ventures, which owns the Sweets and the Yakima Valley Pippins.

“The baseball community is a family, and there isn’t anything more important than family,” Miller said. “While Jeff won’t be in Walla Walla this year, he and his family will be in our thoughts all summer.”

“Taking over as the interim manager has a ton of responsibilities,” Price said. “I am eager to accept each challenge and put a winning product between the lines and in our community.”

Player development is at the top of both the Sweets’ and Price’s list. But player expectations are equally important to Price.

“When the season is over, we want each and every player going back to their college team to be improved, and to be a huge contributor the next spring,” Price said. “We also want these players giving back to our community. They are given great opportunities to play in the WCL, so it will be preached to be reciprocal and be an outstanding citizen while in Walla Walla.”

Though Price has only coached one year as an assistant in the West Coast League, he’s looking forward to the challenge.

“The WCL has a lot of great managers running their teams,” he said. “To be able to go out and compete against them will be an honor and something I’m really excited about.”

Joining Price in the dugout this summer will be Ryan Johnston, who played for the Sweets in 2016 through 2019, and Tyler Roper. Johnston currently is a graduate student at Concordia University Irvine and is pitching for the Eagles. Roper, from Boise, Idaho, was a catcher at Westmont College in 2018 and 2019, and previously played at Treasure Valley Community College.

Price, who also lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife, Diane, is an associate scout with the Atlanta Braves, a position he’s held since 2010. Prior to that, he held the same role with the Boston Red Sox from 1995-2003.

Price was an assistant coach at Northwest Nazarene University in 2018. As a high school varsity baseball coach, his teams won 12 state championships in his 26 years at Boise and Timberline high schools. As an American Legion coach, his Boise Gems team won 10 state titles. Price attended the University of Southern California, where he played for two years.

The Sweets open their 2021 campaign on June 4 with a three-game series against the Cowlitz Black Bears in Longview, Wash., followed by a three-game series in Wenatchee against the AppleSox. Walla Walla’s home opener is June 11, when the Sweets will host the Port Angeles Lefties.

Happy Easter, college baseball fans.

As we now enter April on the spring calendar, conference play is in full swing across the country for college baseball.  Sweets past and present were once again filling the box score, highlighted by some dominating pitching performances.

All that and more as we dive into this week’s edition of the Wrap Up.

Wood You Believe It

Dimick Wood was the only pitcher needed for the College of Idaho on Saturday.

The junior right hander and Sweets 2018-19 alum started for the Yotes in game one of their Saturday double header against Corban University and went the distance, allowing 3 runs on just 3 hits while striking out 10.  The College of Idaho would win 4-3, with Wood picking up his second win on the year.

The complete game effort by Wood helped him get back on track after a rough outing his last time on the mound, as the right hander improved his season strikeout total to 46 on the season against 16 walks.  

The College of Idaho continues play next weekend against Eastern Oregon, as Wood has proven to be a big part of the Yotes pitching rotation this season.

Hey, Pete!

Take a bow, Mike Peterson.

The Western Oregon senior and 2018 Sweets alum was outstanding in his start this past Friday.  Peterson picked up the win, as he would go 8 innings for the Wolves allowing just 1 hit and striking out 9 in their 4-0 win against St. Martin’s in game one of Friday’s double header.

Peterson flat out dominated the Saint Martin’s lineup.  The right hander retired 23 of the 26 batters he faced in his outing, as he continued his great start to the season on the mound.  Peterson is now 3-0 on the season in 4 starts and sports a 1.57 ERA in his 23 innings of work.

Western Oregon travels to Northwest Nazarene next weekend to face the red hot Nighthawks, where Peterson looks to continue his great pitching form.

Momma, There Goes That Man 

Stop us if you heard this one before:  Isaac Esqueda pitched another fantastic game USC.

The junior left hander and 2017 Sweets alum has become a mainstay in our featured players this year, and it’s easy to see why.  Week after week, Esqueda takes the mound for the Trojans and turns in a great performance.

This past weekend was no different.  On the road facing in-state rival University of California, Esqueda impressed again, going 8 innings allowing just 1 run of five hits and striking out 6.  The only blemish was a season high 5 walks, but the veteran lefty was able to work around it throughout the game as the Trojans would go on to win the game 6-1. 

END 7 | Another strong inning for Esqueda as he strands a runner with the K!

USC 6, CAL 1#FightOn pic.twitter.com/Ro5ocu99t3

— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) April 2, 2021

Esqueda picked up his third win on the season, and now has a 3-1 record on the year with 41 strikeouts and an impressive 2.27 ERA in 43 ⅔ innings of work in 7 starts.

USC is back at home next weekend against Dixie State, with Esqueda expected to be the Friday starter for the Trojans.

Across the Diamond

Other notable performances from across the college baseball world:

Sophomore Jacob Blas (Sweets 2017 alum) was a combined 5 for 13 with an RBI at the plate this weekend for the Arizona Wildcats, as they won two of three games against in-state rival Arizona State.

Cal Baptist senior first baseman John Glenn (‘17) was a combined 5 for 15 with 3 RBI’s on the weekend, as the Lancers won three of four games on the road against UT Rio Grande Valley.

John Glenn plates two, and the Lancers take an early 2-0 lead!#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/0RRSK9oFCq

— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) April 2, 2021

Cal Baptist senior right hander Matt Amrhein (‘17) picked up the win in game one of Friday’s double header 3-2 win against UT Rio Grande Valley.  He went 3 ⅔ innings, allowing no runs on 3 hits and struck out 5.  The win was Amrhein’s second of the season.

In a jam❓

Call Matt Amrhein 🤙

He strikes out 3⃣ straight batters to leave the go-ahead run on third base.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/OPSQ712Luu

— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) April 2, 2021

Cal State Fullerton junior left hander Timothy Josten (‘17) pitched 1 ⅓ innings of scoreless ball Saturday.  Working his way back from an injury this season, Josten allowed only 2 hits and struck out a batter in the Titans 8-2 loss to San Diego.

California right hander Sean Sullivan (‘18) started Saturday’s game against the visiting USC Trojans.  The junior went 4 ⅔ innings, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 7 while not allowing a run in the Bears 5-1 win.

The Dahle brothers both pitched for the College of Southern Idaho this weekend.

Sophomore right hander and Sweets signee Jake Dahle started in game two of Friday’s double header against Utah State Eastern.  Jake went 6 innings allowing just 1 run on 4 hits while striking 6, as he picked up the win in the 3-1 victory.

Freshman right hander and Sweets signee Nate Dahle pitched 1 inning of relief in Saturday’s game against Utah State Eastern, striking out 3 in the Golden Eagles 13-7 win.

Sweets signee Jordan Stubbings went a combined 4 for 7 for Colorado Mesa this past Tuesday.  The junior infielder added 2 RBI’s, a home run and a triple to help the Mavericks win both games of the double header against Adam’s State.

Senior Brock Ephan (‘19) went a combined 6 for 16 on the weekend for Lewis-Clark State College.  The power hitting infielder added 7 RBI’s and 3 doubles as the Warriors took all four games against Oregon Tech.

Sweets signee Mason Kokodynski pitched a scoreless inning for LMU on Saturday, striking out 1 batter in their 9-4 loss to the University of San Francisco.

Montana State Billings infielder Carson Green (‘19) went a combined 7 for 20 on the weekend.  The sophomore added 6 RBI’s, a double, and two home runs for the Yellowjackets in their series against Central Washington.

University of California Santa Barbara junior Conner Roberts (‘17) pitched 4 ⅔ innings of relief in game two of Saturday’s double header against the University of Hawaii.  The right hander allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and struck out 5 in the Gauchos 6-5 loss.

University of Oregon right hander Andrew Mosiello (‘19) closed out the game for the Ducks on Saturday.  The freshman went 2 innings allowing 3 hits and striking out 5 as Oregon defeated New Mexico State 6-1.

Redshirt junior catcher Michael Petrie (‘19) went 3 for 11 on the weekend for the University of Washington.  He added an RBI and a double as the Huskies went 2-1 in their series against UCLA.

Senior infielder Tyler Pritchard (‘18) went 3 for 10 with an RBI at the plate over the weekend for USC as they lost the series against California 2-1.

T2 | Pritchard adds to the lead!

USC 2, CAL 0#FightOn pic.twitter.com/5NTqo0fzzN

— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) April 2, 2021

Sweets signee Caden Kaelber came on in relief on Saturday for Washington State.  The lanky right hander went 1 inning, allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit while striking out a batter in the Cougars 10-9 win in extra innings against Stanford.

Whitman right hander and Sweets signee Ben Ortiz appeared in a relief appearance in game two of Friday’s double header against Linfield College.  The junior went 2 innings, giving up just 1 hit while striking out 2 in the Blues 4-2 loss.

Sweets signee Travis Craven pitched in two appearances for Whitman College this weekend.  The left hander went a combined 2 ⅔ innings of relief work, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 2.  Craven picked up the save in game one of Friday’s double header against Linfield.

The next edition of the “Where Are They Now Series” looks at the 2015 Walla Walla Sweets, the sixth team in the history of Walla Walla baseball.

2015 brought in a new era of Sweets baseball under new manager Frank Mutz. Mutz brought with him great experience and a wealth of professional baseball knowledge.

Mutz enjoyed great success as a player and coach prior to Walla Walla. He played baseball at the University of Hawaii and was drafted in the 23rd round of the Major League Baseball draft by the California Angels following his college career. He pitched three seasons in the Angels organization, played briefly with the Oakland Athletics in 1994, and was a scout for both the Diamondbacks and A’s from 1994 to 1998.

In between his professional playing and scouting stints, he served as the manager of the Kenai Peninsula Oilers, where he was named ABL manager of the year in 1991.

Up until August, the Sweets played .500 baseball and were in the WCL playoff picture. The end of the season did not bring as much luck, however, as the Sweets lost nine of their final ten games to finish 22-31. Walla Walla placed fourth in the East Division.

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The Sweets continued to expand the depth of their roster Thursday with two new signings.

The two newest members of the Sweets roster, Jackson Lapiner and Nation Wood, give the Sweets two more versatile options in the outfield. Both players were slated to be on the 2020 roster before the COVID-19 shutdown.

Starting up north in Washington, Wood hails from Kirkland, Washington and is in his first season at Saddleback Community College. The left-handed hitting outfielder tore the cover off the ball to start the season. In 13 games, he hit .449 with three home runs, 19 RBI’s and 22 runs scored.

Wood comes from Lake Washington High School, where he was ranked the fourth best outfielder in the 2019 Washington class. So far the success from his days at Lake Washington have translated well to the collegiate level.

While at LWHS, Wood was a two-time all state selection and a three-time all-conference selection, winning the conference MVP award in 2019. Wood’s father, Michael, played baseball at the University of Washington.

Moving over to California, Lapiner is currently in his first campaign at Golden West College. Lapiner is a graduate of Calabasas High School where he played outfield, infield and pitched as well.

Lapiner is a dynamic outfielder that can play a variety of roles in Walla Walla. The left-handed hitter has a quick bat along with a strong arm and good defensive instincts.

Walla Walla, WA – A new schedule is here for the 2021 season.

On the heels of Thursday’s announcement from the West Coast League of a revised schedule coming for 2021, the Walla Walla Sweets released their new slate of games for the summer.  The schedule change comes with a separated U.S. and Canadian schedules for this summer due to the travel issues with the U.S.-Canadian border caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sweets will keep their original 32 home dates, while also adding an additional three home games in June. (CLICK HERE for printable schedule).

“Keeping our current home dates and adding three additional games is a great outcome for us and our fans,” said Sweets general manager Cody Miller.  “Providing as many opportunities as possible for our fans to come out to Borleske Stadium this summer to watch Sweets baseball is a big thing for us after missing all of last summer.”

While the home dates were kept the same, the Sweets opponents did shuffle for several series.  Originally slated to have their home opener against the Corvallis Knights, Walla Walla will now host the Port Angeles Lefties for their first three game home series.  The Sweets’ three additional home games come on June 22-24 against non-league opponent CCL All-Stars.

The changes will now have the Sweets at home for 23 of 26 games during a stretch from Friday, June 11 to Sunday, July 11.  Walla Walla will conclude its regular season on Thursday, August 12 at home against the Ridgefield Raptors.

Under the current statewide guidelines, outdoor venues are permitted to operate at 25% fan capacity or 9,000 fans, whichever is fewer.  Borleske Stadium has a capacity of 2,200, which under the current guidelines would mean 550 fans a night.

Miller doesn’t believe that will be the case for the entire 2021 season.

“It’s a fluid situation,” he said.  “Working with our local county health officials, we understand that these guidelines could change at any time before the season starts.  We don’t anticipate the restrictions to be in place all summer long, but we have to be ready for any changes that come our way this year.”

The capacity limits will have an impact on the number of tickets available for purchase, says Miller.

“It’s going to be limited to start,” he said.

Fans who have already purchased voucher plans will be given priority to pick their games they would like to attend before single game tickets go on sale.

Season tickets and mini-plans are now on sale for the season.  Single game tickets will go on sale later this spring.  Call 509-522-BALL for more information.

The Sweets are also continuing to look for host families for the season.  As an added benefit, host families receive season tickets for the season.

The Sweets’ revised schedule for this summer (home games in bold)

June 4,5,6: Cowlitz Black Bears

June 8,9,10: Wenatchee AppleSox

June 11,12,13: Port Angeles Lefties

June 15,16,17: Corvallis Knights

June 18,19,20: Highline Bears

June 22,23,24: CCL All-Stars

June 25,26,27: Yakima Valley Pippins

June 29,30: Cowlitz Black Bears

July 1: Cowlitz Black Bears

July 2,3: Northwest Star NightHawks

July 5,6,7: Yakima Valley Pippins

July 9,10,11: Portland Pickles

July 13,14,15: Portland Pickles

July 16,17,18: Port Angeles Lefties

July 20,21,22: Wenatchee AppleSox

July 23,24,25: Bend Elks

July 27,28,29: Corvallis Knights

July 30,31: Ridgefield Raptors

August 1: Ridgefield Raptors

August 3,4,5: Bend Elks

August 6: CCL All-Stars

August 7,8: Highline Bears

August 10,11,12: Ridgefield Raptors

Another week of college baseball is in the books.

With teams now entering the middle of their season schedules, many schools have begun conference play.  Several former and current Sweets matched up against each other as a result this weekend, providing for another action packed week.  

Read all that and more in this week’s edition of the Wrap Up.

Schwehr Goes The Distance

Spencer Schwehr was a man on a mission Saturday.

The sophomore left hander took the ball for the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks in their second game of the double header against the St. Martin’s Saints and proceeded to put on a pitching clinic.  Schwehr pitched a complete game, going 7 innings allowing just 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 6 (NCAA rules limit the second games of back to back doubleheaders to 7 innings).

The Sweets signee picked up his third win of the season, as he helped the Nighthawks complete the four game series sweep of the Saints over the weekend with an 8-1 win.  Schwehr lowered his ERA to 2.29 on the season and has only allowed only 1 run over his last 12 ⅓ innings of work.

NNU continues its winning ways, as they improved to 17-3 on the season and 11-1 in conference play.

Amrhein, Glenn Lead Lancers to Victory

For the Cal Baptist Lancers this past weekend, John Glenn provided the offense while Matt Amrhein supplied the pitching.

The result was a four game series sweep for the Lancers over the visiting Tarleton State Texans,  And the former 2017 Sweets duo was right in the middle of all of it for Cal Baptist.

Starting with Glenn, the senior first baseman was driving in runs and coming up with big hits all weekend for the Lancers.  He would finish the series going a combined 7 for 14, with 2 home runs, 8 RBI’s, and 3 runs scored.

???

Watch out, pitchers, John Glenn is heating up.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/cudZ2ExP6P

— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 27, 2021

The big weekend brought Glenn’s batting average up to a solid .290 for the season, along with 18 RBI’s and 3 home runs.

Amrhein meanwhile was putting in work on the mound.

The senior right hander came on in relief of the second game of Saturday’s double header, going 4 ⅔ innings while allowing just 3 hits, 1 walk, and struck out 6 without surrendering a run.  Amrhein would finish out the game and pick up his first win of the season, as the Lancers would win 7-3.

???

Matt Amrhein gets the win in relief after throwing the final 4.2 innings. He allowed just 3️⃣ hits, 1️⃣ walk and tied his career-high 6️⃣ strikeouts.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/WsDBj93iC1

— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 28, 2021

The outing helped lower Amrhein’s ERA to a 2.87 mark, and he has now struck out 18 batters in his 15 ⅔ innings of work on the year.

Cal Baptist is now 15-6 on the year and now a perfect 8-0 in conference play this season.  They look to continue their hot streak next weekend against UT Rio Grande Valley.

Ephan Explodes for Big Weekend

Brock Ephan picked up right where he left off last weekend.

The power hitting infielder started things off with a bang in game one of Saturday’s double header, going 2 for 3 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI’s for Lewis-Clark State College in their 12-1 win.  And it was a sign of things to come.

Ephan would finish the weekend 6 for 14, driving in a total of 8 runs to go along with his 2 home runs, and added 6 runs scored as LCSC would sweep the four game weekend series against Eastern Oregon.

The 2019 Sweets alum is now batting an even .300 on the year, and pushed his home run total to 8 on the season with 24 RBI’s.  

Lewis-Clark State College are now an impressive 22-2 on the year, including 15-1 in conference play.  They look to continue their dominance next weekend when they visit Oregon Tech.

Across the Diamond

Other notable performances from across the college baseball world:

Sophomore Jacob Blas (Sweets 2017 alum) drove in 4 runs across four games this past week for the University of Arizona, as the Wildcats went 3-1 on the week.

University of California junior right hander Sean Sullivan (‘18) started and went 4 innings in Saturday’s game against the University of Utah.  He allowed 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 2 in Cal’s 9-5 win.

Sweets signee Mason Kokodynski pitched in two games this past week.  The freshman right hander went a combined 3 innings of work, allowing just 1 hit while striking out a hitter and didn’t allow a run in either of his appearances.

Sophomore Carson Green (‘19) had a hit in each of his four games this weekend against Western Oregon.  The Montana State Billings infielder also drove in 4 runs, adding a double, triple, and a home run to his season tally.

Senior right hander Ty Hueckman (‘18) pitched 2 ⅓ innings in Northwest Nazarene’s 8-4 win in game one of Saturday’s double header.  Hueckman allowed just 1 run on 2 hits while striking out 2.

Sweets signee Nick Irwin pitched 1 ⅔ innings of scoreless ball for NNU in game one of Friday’s double header.  The right hander allowed no hits and struck out 2.

Senior Ben Johnson (‘19) picked up his third win of the season in NNU’s game one of Saturday’s double header.  The right hander went 5 innings and allowed just 1 run on 1 hit while striking out 3 in the 8-4 win for the Nighthawks.  Johnson also produced at the plate, going a combined 3 for 10 on the weekend with an RBI.

Junior Reid Sebby (‘19) pitched 2 innings of relief for the Oregon State Beavers this past Tuesday against Santa Clara.  The right hander allowed no runs on no hits and struck out a batter in the Beavers 10-9 loss.

Pepperdine freshman Dylan Schwartz picked up his first collegiate win this past Tuesday.  The Sweets signee pitched 3 innings of relief, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 6 in a 14-5 winning effort.

Senior Patrick Caulfield (‘18-’19) was a combined 2 for 3 on the weekend for UCLA, including a two run home run in Sunday’s 13-1 dismantling of USC.

T2 | Pat Caulfield goes yard to put the Bruins ahead early!

UCLA 2, USC 0

? | Pac-12 Network
? | https://t.co/FMLP8kR27X#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/U55BL32SU8

— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) March 28, 2021

UCLA freshman Emanuel Dean (‘19) had his best game in his young career this past Tuesday.  The outfielder went 4 for 5 with 4 RBI’s in the Bruins 13-6  win against LMU.

B1 | The Bruins have batted around here in the first to eliminate the early deficit, scoring five runs including two on this Emanuel Dean triple!

UCLA 5, LMU 3

? | https://t.co/IeyPY5lkUB#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/NkzWj2fwmd

— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) March 24, 2021

Junior Isaac Esqueda (‘17) was solid again in his outing against UCLA Friday.  The left hander went 6 innings and allowed just 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 5.  Esqueda was given a no decision as the Trojans would rally in the 9th to win 5-4.

MID 5 | Esqueda catches another Bruin swinging! Trojans get out of it with a groundout and fly out as the Bruins leave 1 on base

UCLA 2, USC 1#FightOn pic.twitter.com/jwq3zdQFCb

— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) March 27, 2021

Western Oregon right hander Mike Peterson (‘18-’19) picked up his second win of the season on Friday.  The senior went 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 2 in the Wolves 9-2 win over Montana State Billings.

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Today, the West Coast League announced the adoption of a revised schedule for the 2021 season.  The announcement comes as the league will eliminate any international travel between U.S.-based teams and Canadian based teams across the U.S.-Canada border.  The Walla Walla Sweets will play in a revised schedule that will be against other West Coast League teams and non-league teams.

The elimination of the international travel comes as the continued uncertainty of the U.S.-Canadian border being opened for non-essential travel by the start of the league season in June.

The Sweets will maintain a 32-game home schedule for the 2021 season and are on track to start Friday, June 4 and play a full season.

“While it is unfortunate that we will not be able to play any of our Canadian league teams this year, we understand the decision and look forward to having a full season with our fans and student athletes this season in Walla Walla,” said Sweets general manager Cody Miller.

The new 48-game league schedule will be announced next week for the U.S. based teams.  The Canadian schedule will be announced in early April for Edmonton, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Kamloops.  The Kelowna Falcons officially opted out of the 2021 season today.

Spring is officially here, and with it comes another action packed week of college baseball.

Week five saw some powerful performances at the plate and on the mound for current and former Sweets players.  We take a look at all of that and more as we dive into this week’s edition of the Wrap Up.

Bam Bam!

If you look up “home run” in the dictionary, you’ll probably see a picture of Lewis-Clark State slugger Brock Ephan accompanying it.

The power hitting infielder and 2019 Sweets alum was on a tear this weekend for the Warriors against the College of Idaho.  He finished the series 6 for 15, with 8 RBI’s and 10 runs scored, and homered in three of the four games for the LCSC, with all four games resulting in wins.

Ephan saved the biggest home run for last, as he launched a 1st inning grand slam for the Warriors in Sunday’s matchup to set the tone for the day.  LCSC would go on to win 11-1 against the College of Idaho to complete the sweep of the weekend series of the Yotes.

Ephan, affectionately nicknamed “Bam” during his time with the Sweets due to his big hit capabilities, doubled his home run total for the year that now stands at six.  His big weekend helped push the 9th ranked Warriors record to 20-2.  

LCSC looks to continue its nine game winning streak next weekend when they host Eastern Oregon.

Superb Stubbings

Down in Colorado, a former teammate of Ephan’s was also lighting up the box score.

Colorado Mesa infielder and Sweets signee Jordan Stubbings was putting on a show at the plate in their weekend series at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.  The junior from Parker, Colorado went 9 for 18 at the plate in the series, with 6 RBI’s, 3 doubles, and added a home run of his own too.

The strong series from Stubbings helped power Colorado Mesa to taking three of four games in the series, as the Mavericks are now 12-2 on the season, including a 9-1 record in conference play.  

Stubbings, who will be coming back to Walla Walla for his second season with the Sweets, raised his season average to an impressive .404 line, with 19 RBI’s, 6 doubles and 4 home runs on the year.  He continues to be a key part of Colorado Mesa’s lineup, as they play next weekend against Adams State.

Sullivan Shuts Down the Lancers

The University of California had a rough start to its weekend series against the visiting Cal Baptist Lancers, losing 7-0 in Friday’s game.  The Bears needed a big pick me up for Saturday’s matchup.

Enter Sean Sullivan.

The junior right hander righted the ship for Cal, as the 2018 Sweets alum was dominant in his start, going 6 innings of scoreless ball allowing just 1 run on 2 hits, walking none and striking out 7.  Sullivan would pick up the win on the day, as the Bears beat down the Lancers to a tune of 15-1.

The win was Sullivan’s second on the season, as the right hander has found a groove in his last couple of starts, allowing just 2 earned runs over his last 12 innings of work.  He has also stuck out 10 and has not allowed a walk in that time span.

Sullivan looks to be a big part of the Cal Bears rotation this season, as they continue conference play in the PAC-12 next weekend against the Utah Utes.

Across the Diamond

Other notable performances from across the college baseball world:

Sophomore Jacob Blas (Sweets 2017 alum) made the most of his two hits this weekend, homering in two of Arizona’s three games this weekend against UCLA.

Say it with us now: OPPO ? #BearDown pic.twitter.com/RQZlfCNkA8

— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) March 21, 2021

Cal Baptist senior Matt Amhrein (‘17)  pitched 1 ⅔ scoreless innings against the University of California Sunday.  The right hander didn’t allow a hit in his outing, while also striking out a batter in the Lancers 9-8 loss to the Bears.

Central Washington left hander Brayde Hirai went 4 ⅔  innings in his start Saturday against Northwest Nazarene.  The Sweets signee allowed 4 runs, but gave up just 1 walk while striking out 7 in the Wildcats 7-3 loss.

Lewis-Clark State College right hander Bryson Spagnuolo (‘19) came on in relief and finished out the 12-4 win in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader for the Warriors.  The redshirt sophomore went 2 scoreless innings, allowing just 1 hit while striking out 2.

Montana State Billings infielder Carson Green (‘19) had a solid weekend at the plate for the Yellowjackets.  The sophomore went 7 for 17 in the series, with 5 RBI’s, 3 doubles, and a home run as he helped the Yellowjackets win three of four against Saint Martin’s.

Northwest Nazarene won three of their four games against Central Washington University this weekend, with several current and former Sweets contributing.

Sweets signee Nick Irwin appeared in two games this weekend for the Nighthawks.  The sophomore right hander went a combined 1 ⅓ innings, allowing no runs on 1 hit, while striking out 2.  

Another Sweets signee, catcher Quentin Ayers, went a combined 2 for 6 at the plate on the weekend.  The freshman added 2 RBI’s and scored a run in his two games of action.

Do everything senior Ben Johnson (‘19) played a part in all four games for NNU. The right hander started in game one of Saturday’s double header, going 5 ⅔ innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 5 as he picked up the win.  Johnson also delivered at the plate, going a combined 6 for 14 in the series, driving in 3 runs.

Right hander Ty Hueckman (‘18) was dominant in his appearance in Friday’s game one doubleheader.  The senior came on in relief and pitched 4 scoreless innings for the Nighthawks, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 5 in NNU’s 4-2 loss.

Sweets signee Spencer Schwehr picked up the win in game two of Saturday’s double header.  The left hander was impressive, scattering 6 hits over 5 ⅓ innings, striking out 3 as the Nighthawks closed out the series with a 3-1 win.

University of Oregon pitcher Andrew Mosiello (‘19) came on in relief Saturday to help finish off a 7-1 win for the Ducks over Arizona State.  The freshman right hander went 2 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits and striking out a batter.

USC left hander Isaac Esqueda (‘17) had another solid outing for the Trojans on Friday.  The junior from Pomona went 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 5, as he picked up the win in the Trojans 3-2 victory over the University of Washington.

USC senior infielder Tyler Pritchard (‘18) was a combined 3 for 11 on the weekend, driving in 3 runs and scoring 2 more in helping the Trojans sweep the Washington Huskies 3-0 in the series.

END 7 | Pritchard drives home two more!

Huskies get out of the inning on the next batter, but not before SC puts up 3 in the frame!

USC 3, WASH 0#FightOn pic.twitter.com/5LJNsEDDGX

— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) March 19, 2021

Senior left hander Bryce Moyle (‘18) pitched ⅔ innings of relief in Sunday’s game for Washington State University.  The veteran lefty allowed just 1 hit in his outing in the Cougars 9-8 loss to the Oregon State Beavers.

Sweet signees Travis Craven and Ben Ortiz both played key roles over the weekend for Whitman College.

Craven made two appearances for the Blues in their four game weekend series against the visiting Whitworth Pirates.  The veteran left hander picked up two wins, both in relief efforts, going a combined 5 2/3 innings, allowing just 2 hits and no runs while striking out 6.

Ortiz also made two appearances on the weekend, with his best effort coming in game one of Sunday’s double header.  The junior right hander came on for Whitman in a 10-2 deficit and held the line, going 5 2/3 innings of scoreless ball while striking out 2 as he allowed Whitman to stay alive in the game before ultimately falling 10-7 in the loss.

Two more players from California will make their way up the west coast to play in Walla Walla this summer.

The Sweets signed current UCLA infielder Eli Paton and 2021 Bruins commit James Hepp Friday.

Paton hails from La Canada, California, and primarily plays first base. He was rated the second-best first basemen in California and the 10th best first basemen nationally out of high school.

Paton enjoyed a decorated prep and high school career prior to UCLA. He was a member of the United States 15U National Team back in 2017. At Maranatha High School, he batted .375 in his shortened senior season and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2018 WWBA World Championship.

Outside of playing baseball, Paton’s favorite MLB player is Corey Seager and he roots for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers. His uncle, George Paton, attended UCLA and is currently the General Manager of the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

Hepp, a UCLA commit, is in his senior season at West Ranch High School in Valencia, California.

After a shortened junior year, the 6-foot-7 pitcher is excited to be back on the diamond.

“It feels amazing to be back together with my high school teammates and coaches after an abrupt and devastating year off,” Hepp said. “I missed playing so much and won’t take a moment of this season for granted. I can’t wait to get back out there on the mound and get started!”

Hepp is also looking forward to his first season as a Bruin. He is confident that the Bruins will continue their track record as a program that develops great pitchers.

“I am so grateful to be going to UCLA and look forward to the opportunities that await me,” Hepp said. “There is no doubt that the UCLA program will have continued success due to the stellar coaching and the extremely talented players.”

While college basketball’s March Madness is set to begin later this week in Indiana, college baseball’s regular season rolls on for teams all across the country.  It was an impressive showing for several former and current Sweets pitchers this week on the mound after taking a back seat last week to the hitters strong performance.

So take a timeout from filling out your bracket and check in with this week’s edition of the Wrap Up.

Wood You Look at That

Dimick Wood was on his game Saturday.

The junior right hander and 2018 Sweets alum was fantastic in his outing for the College of Idaho against Oregon Tech.  Wood would go 7 innings and allow just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 9 batters.  His lone mistake was a balk in the 2nd inning that allowed a run to score.

Wood left the game with the Yotes up 2-1 going to the 8th inning.  He would ultimately pick up a no-decision, as Oregon Tech would pick up a 2 run home run in the eighth inning to take the lead for good, winning 3-2 in a hard fought pitchers duel on the day.

Wood is having a solid start to the season for the Yotes.  He is just 1-2, but has struck out 33 hitters in 30 ⅔ innings pitched this season and holds an impressive 2.93 ERA.  Wood also has recorded a save this season.

Mosiello Shuts Down the Beavers

Last week, Andrew Mosiello picked up his first career collegiate win.  This weekend, he picked up his first collegiate save.

And what a team to do it against.

The Oregon Ducks were on the road playing their in state rival Oregon State Beavers.  The Beavers came into the game ranked 17th in the country in Division I, sporting a 10-1 record and carrying a 10 game winning streak.

Mosiello and the Ducks were unfazed.

Coming on in the 6th inning with a 3-0 lead, the 2019 Sweets alum was looking to keep the Beavers off the scoreboard.  He did that and more, as the freshman right hander finished out the game and picked up the save, going 4 innings and allowing just 2 hits, walking none, and striking out 3 hitters as the Ducks shut out the Beavers 3-0.  It was the second time in as many days Oregon State was kept scoreless by the Ducks.

B7 | Mosiello throws another 0 on the board for the Ducks. Second K in as many innings. #GoDucks

Oregon 3
Oregon State 0 pic.twitter.com/Z6FG11DqJo

— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) March 13, 2021

Mosiello is gaining confidence on the mound with every game he pitches.  He hasn’t allowed a run in his last two appearances, going 6 ⅔ innings and allowing just 4 hits while striking out 8 and allowing just 1 walk in that time frame.

Esqueda Does It Again

If it feels like we feature Isaac Esqueda every week….well it’s because we do.

But that’s a testament to just how well the junior left hander has pitched for USC this season.  And Friday was no different for the 2017 Sweets alum.

The Trojans were up against the University of Nevada, giving the ball to Esqueda to start the weekend series against the Wolf Pack.  The lefty would surrender his only run to the third batter he faced, a solo home run in the top of the first inning.  After that, Esqueda was his usual dominant self.

Esqueda went 7 innings, giving up just the one run on 3 hits, striking out 4 and walking 3.  The Trojans would provide some run support for the left hander, winning 3-1 on the night.  Esqueda notched his first win of the season, and is now 1-1 on the year with 25 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA.

MID 6 | A heads-up play from Esqueda to get the double play and a strikeout get the Trojans out of the 6th.

USC 1, NEV 1#FightOn pic.twitter.com/oSQy4UcZhY

— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) March 13, 2021

Across the Diamond

Other notable performances from across the college baseball world:

Sophomore Jacob Blas (Sweets 2017 alum) had a big Sunday at the plate, going 3 for 5 while scoring 4 runs and driving in two more for the Arizona Wildcats in their 14-5 win against Air Force.

Cal Baptist first baseman John Glenn (‘17) was 3 for 9 with 3 RBI’s at the plate over the weekend, including a bases clearing double in Friday’s come from behind win over Northern Colorado.

? JOHN GLENN ?#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/oH4Fg8q6zH

— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 14, 2021

Junior Sean Sullivan (‘18) picked up his first win on the season Saturday.  The right hander went 6 innings for the University of California, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 3 in the Bears 11-5 win against LMU.

Central Washington left hander Brayde Hirai  went 5 ⅔ innings in his start Sunday, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 4.  The Sweets signee would get a no decision in the Wildcats 4-3 loss to Western Oregon.

Western Oregon pitcher Mike Peterson (’18-’19) picked up his first win of the season on Saturday.  The right hander went 6 innings, allowing just 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 6 in the Wolves 5-2 win against Central Washington.

It was another big weekend for the Colorado Mesa and current Sweet signees Caleb Farmer and Jordan Stubbings.

Farmer was 5-12 on the weekend, including a 3 for 4 showing in game two of the Mavericks double header against Colorado School of Mines.  Farmer would add 5 RBI’s and score twice in the 22-5 win for Colorado Mesa.

Stubbings was 3 for 10 in the series, with his best game coming Sunday.  The power hitting infielder went 2 for 3, with a double and a home run while driving in 4 runs in the Mavericks 25-0 route to finish a 4-0 series sweep.

Sweets signee Mason Kokodynski closed out the game for LMU in Saturday’s game against California.  The freshman right hander held his own, going 3 ⅓ innings while allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 3.

Northwest Nazarene senior Ben Johnson (‘19) did a little bit of everything this week.  He played in three of the Nighthawks four games over the weekend against Montana State Billings, and was the starting pitcher for Saturday’s game two of the double header.  He would go 2 ⅔ scoreless innings of work, allowing just 2 hits and 1 walk.

Johnson also had a successful weekend at the plate, going 4 for 10 in the series.  His best outing was in the second game of the Friday double header, going 3 for 5 with a double and a home run and 4 RBI’s in the Nighthawks 22-10 win.

Also for NNU, left hander Spencer Schwehr got in on the action this weekend as well.  The Sweets signee picked up his first win on the season, coming on in relief of Johnson in Saturday’s game.  Schwehr would go 1 ⅓ innings allowing just 1 run on 1 hit while walking 2 and striking out 3.

Oregon State junior Reid Sebby (‘19) pitched in the Beavers 7-0 loss to Oregon on Friday.  Sebby was again solid, with 1 inning of scoreless work and striking out a batter.

Pepperdine freshman Dylan Schwartz made his second appearance on the season Friday against UC Davis.  The right hander pitched a scoreless inning for Pepperdine, retiring all three hitters he faced in the 10-5 loss.

St. John’s infielder and Sweets signee Justin Folz was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI for the Red Storm on Saturday in their loss against Western Carolina.

UCLA freshman Emanuel Dean (‘19) made his second start for the Bruins this year in Sunday’s game against Cal Poly.  The power hitting outfielder was 2 for 3 with an RBI in the Bruins 8-5 loss.

In the same game for UCLA, junior Jack Filby (‘18) made his first pitching appearance for the Bruins  The right hander went 1 inning allowing 1 run on 1 hit while striking out 1 batter.

Sweets signee Travis Craven was on the mound twice this weekend for Whitman College against Lewis and Clark.  The veteran left hander had his best outing Sunday, going 1 ⅔ innings allowing no hits and striking out 4 as he closed out the game for the Blues to secure a 14-8 win.

The next edition of the “Where Are They Now Series” examines the 2014 Walla Walla Sweets, the fifth team in the history of Walla Walla baseball.

After a promising campaign in 2013 that brought home the second division title in four seasons, the Sweets were unable to replicate that success in 2014. Walla Walla was unable to overcome a tough start to the season, but still managed to finish the year over .500 at 28-26. The Sweets found their rhythm toward the end of the year, winning seven of their final nine games.

The Sweets offense featured several star players across the lineup. The lineup was highlighted by Michael Duarte and Andrew Mendenhall. Both players were in the top-10 in the West Coast League in batting average. Duarte led the way with a .353 average and struck out just 17 times in 136 at-bats. Mendenhall was one of the most feared power hitters in the WCL. The Washington native hit .349 and led the team in runs scored (39), home runs (8), RBI’s (39), doubles (17), stolen bases (4) and hits (73. The offense hit 44 home runs as a team and had nine different players hit .270 or greater.

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Staff

Continuing their 2021 signings, the Sweets are bringing in two big bats to help their lineup depth.

Cayden Delozier and Evan Harmon, two community college players, will spend their summer in Walla Walla.

Delozier is a 2020 graduate of Canby High School and is currently in his first season at Linn Benton Community College. Delozier is a good power hitter that can play either of the corners, but primarily plays first base.

Delozier joins a successful program in Linn Benton. The Roadrunners won the South Region NWAC Championship in 2017, 2018 and 2019. They begin their season Friday, March 26 with a doubleheader at Lane.

Delozier was rated the second best first basemen out of Oregon and 22nd best prospect in the state overall.

Harmon gives the Sweets a boost in the outfield. He is a strong, quick outfielder that can hit to all fields and impressed at Skyview High School. Harmon hails from Nampa, Idaho.

Harmon is redshirting in his first season at Central Arizona College, which has been a major pipeline to Walla Walla. The Vaqueros began their season on Feb. 3 and have flown out of the gate. They are 14-0 with only five of their games being decided by four runs or fewer.

At Skyview, Harmon batted .306 across four varsity seasons and hit .350 over his final two campaigns. He posted 45 RBI’s and three home runs in his final two full varsity seasons.

Week three of college baseball takes us into March and as the weather begins to warm up, so did the bats of several Sweets players and alumni this week.  Six players registered a home run as offense was the theme of the week for several teams in action.

See who all filled up the stat sheet in this week’s edition of the Wrap Up.

Having a Blas(t)

Jacob Blas had himself a weekend at the plate.

The sophomore infielder and 2017 Sweets alum went 8 for 19, with 6 runs batted in, scored 7 runs, and added a triple and a home run for Arizona as he helped the Wildcats secure all four wins on the weekend against Oklahoma, Dallas Baptist, and Missouri.  The home run was Blas’s first since 2018. 

Arizona extended its winning streak to nine games, as they swept the Frisco Classic this weekend in Texas.

After a slow start at the plate, Blas is now batting .313 on the year for the Wildcats including going 11 for his last 26.  He has now scored 12 runs and has 7 RBI’s on the year.

First HR for @jacobblas10 since 2018, featuring a nice snag by the fan on the grass berm ? #BearDown pic.twitter.com/0C3905KMSJ

— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) March 5, 2021

Farmer, Stubbings Combine for Massive Weekend

The Colorado Mesa Mavericks were on the road to play the Adams State Grizzlies in a matchup of conference opponents in a two game series this weekend.  The Mavericks would come away victorious in both games, scoring a total of…..58 RUNS.

No, that is not a typo.  You read that correctly.

Even more bizarre, Colorado Mesa scored 29 runs each in both games on the weekend!  Saturday’s game ended 29-1, and Sunday’s ending 29-6.  

Current Sweets players Caleb Farmer and Jordan Stubbings both got in on the fun, as the duo started both games for the Mavericks. 

Farmer went 6 for 9 in the series, scoring 5 runs and drove in 2 runs, adding a double and a walk in Sunday’s game.  Farmer is now up to a .450 batting average on the season, with 7 runs scored and 5 RBI’s,.

Stubbings would end the series going 3 for 8, with 4 RBI’s and 2 home runs, both in Saturday’s convincing 29-1 win.  He is now batting .368 in 6 games, with 9 RBI’s on the season. 

Farmer and Stubbings are mainstays in the Colorado Mesa lineup, as the #4 ranked Mavericks look to continue their winning ways next week in their home opener against Colorado School of Mines.

John Glenn to the Moon

John Glenn (Cal Baptist first baseman, not the astronaut) and his teammates faced extra innings in their Saturday matchup at UC Davis, and needed someone to step up at the plate and deliver a big hit.

Glenn did just that.

The fifth year senior and 2017 Sweets alum stepped into the box in the top of the 10th with 1 out and no one on.   The lefty found a pitch he liked and smacked a shot high and deep to right field that would have made the late NASA astronaut proud, as his home run gave Cal Baptist a 5-4 lead.  The Lancers would hold on for the win by shutting out the Aggies in the bottom half of the frame.

???

A solo shot from John Glenn puts CBU up 5-4 in the 10th.#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/qvxVVIDLOL

— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 6, 2021

The home run was Glenn’s first on the year and it couldn’t have come at a better time.  Cal Baptist has now won four in a row after starting 2-4 on the year, and face Northern Colorado to begin conference play next weekend.

Across the Diamond

Other notable performances from across the college baseball world:

Senior pitcher Matt Amrhein (Sweets 2017 alum) pitched 2 ⅓ scoreless innings of relief in Sunday’s 6-5 win for Cal Baptist over UC Davis.  The right hander struck out 1 and allowed no hits in the 10 batters he faced.

Junior pitcher Dimick Wood (‘18) picked up the win for the College of Idaho in their Saturday game against Eastern Oregon.  Wood went 6 innings, striking out 6 and allowing 3 earned runs in the Yotes 17-7 win.

Lewis and Clark State infielder Brock Ephan (‘19) added to the home run tally for the weekend, launching his third home run of the season in LCSC 12-2 win against Corban in Sunday’s second game of the double header.

Montana State Billings infielder Carson Green (‘19) started in all 3 of the Yellowjackets games this weekend.  The sophomore from the local Tri Cities was 4 for 9 on the weekend, including a 3 for 4 showing on Friday against the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.  Green would end up just a home run shy of the cycle, as he also drove in 3 runs on the day.

Junior right hander Reid Sebby (‘19) was his usual dominant self for the Oregon State Beavers this past week.  Sebby would pick up the win in Thursday’s contest against Bringham Young, striking out 2 batters in 2 scoreless innings of relief work in the Beavers 1-0 win.

Sweets signees Justin Folz and Chris Conniff both played big roles for St John’s in their weekend four game sweep of Sacred Heart. 

Folz continues to stay hot at the plate, highlighted by a 2 for 2 outing in the first game of Sunday’s double header which included another home run for him on the season.  He also added 3 RBI’s on the day in the Red Storm’s 12-1 romp of the Pioneers.

Conniff played in 3 of the 4 games on the weekend for St. John’s.  The freshman infielder had a breakout game Sunday, going a perfect 3 for 3 in game two of Sunday’s double header with a triple.  The Red Storm went on to win 11-2 and are 7-0 to start the season.

UCLA junior Jack Filby (‘18) made sure not to be left out of the home run club this week, adding a 2-run shot in his first at bat in Tuesday’s 14-1 blowout of Cal State Fullerton.  He has now started in 10 of the Bruins first 11 games on the season.

B1 | UCLA takes the early lead as Jack Filby (@FilbyJack) goes yard for the first time in his career!

UCLA 2, CSF 0

? | https://t.co/NkPD2HjItQ#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/t9w3XMfPu1

— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) March 3, 2021

Staying with UCLA, senior Patrick Caulfield (‘18-’19) had his best game of the season Sunday vs. USC.  The speedy outfielder went 3 for 5 with 4 RBI’s on the day, adding a double and a run scored as the Bruins took care of their rivals, winning 10-1 .  UCLA is now 8-3 on the season.

B3 | @Pat_Caulfield gives the Bruins the early lead with a two-run double into the left field corner!

UCLA 2, USC 0

? | https://t.co/IeyPY5lkUB#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/Jhb5jjVt3J

— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) March 7, 2021

Junior left hander Isaac Esqueda (‘17) was back on the mound for USC, starting for them Friday against Cal State Fullerton.  He kept USC in the game, going 5 ⅔ innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while also striking out 6 batters.  Runs were hard to come by for the Trojan offense, as they dropped the contest 5-0.     

Washington State University pitchers Bryce Moyle (‘18) and current Sweets signee Caden Kaelber both saw action this weekend in their series against Seattle University. 

Moyle was terrific in his outing on Saturday, going 2 ⅔ scoreless innings in relief, striking out 5 while allowing no hits or runs in the Cougars 14-7 win.

Kaelber came on in relief during Sunday’s game for WSU, going 1 ⅔ scoreless innings.  He didn’t allow a run, striking out 1 and surrendering just 1 hit in the Cougars 6-2 loss to the Redhawks.

University of Oregon pitcher Andrew Mosiello (’19) pitched in two games over the weekend against UC Santa Barbara. The freshman right hander went 2 innings on Friday, allowing just 1 run on 1 hit while striking out a pair in the Ducks 7-6 win.  On Sunday, Mosiello would pick up his first win on the season, going 2 2/3 scoreless innings to close out the game.  He allowed just 2 hits and struck out 5 batters on his way to helping the Ducks win 9-4 and sweep the weekend series against the Gauchos.

Week two of the weekend wrap is here, and Sweets players past and present made plays all across the diamond this past weekend.  We also saw the debut of several more Sweets players for the 2021 season.  

So as we flip the calendar from February to March, let’s dive into the week that was in college baseball.  

Touch ’em all, Folz

Starting on the east coast, St. John’s was getting its season started with a 3 game home series vs. UMASS Lowell.  St. John’s junior infielder and Sweets signee Justin Folz started all three games and played third base for the Red Storm, and made his presence felt all weekend at the plate.

Folz went 5 for 11 in the series, scoring 3 runs and driving in another 3, while also adding 2 doubles and a home run as St. John’s swept the weekend series and are a perfect 3-0 to start the season.

The home run for Folz was not your conventional over the fence shot, however.  Folz had to earn it the hard way, as he raced around the bases for an inside the park home run after the UMASS Lowell center fielder lost the ball in the sun on the play.  Folz, running hard out of the box on the hit, put his head down and never looked back as he slid home safely just ahead of the throw home.  The home run would extend the Red Storm’s lead to 7-0, and they would go on to win 11-3 on the day.

BACK TO BACK!

The UML center fielder loses it in the sun and Folz dashes all the way around for an inside-the-park roundtripper!

7-0 #SJUBase pic.twitter.com/6s6AeGTArp

— St. John's Baseball (@StJohnsBaseball) February 27, 2021

Sullivan racks up the strikeouts

Back on the west coast, California Bears junior pitcher and Sweets 2018 alum Sean Sullivan was on the mound and starting Saturday’s game for the Bears against the University of San Francisco Dons.

Starting on the road, Sullivan was looking to bounce back from a rough outing the previous weekend vs. Pacific University.  Safe to say, he did just that.

Sullivan was on his game, as the right hander went 6 ⅓ innings, striking out 10 Dons on the day and allowing just 3 runs on 5 hits while only walking 2.  Sullivan was cruising through 6 innings, but ran into some trouble in the 7th.  He would give up a home run and a double to the first two hitters he faced, before getting his 10th strikeout on the day on the following batter.

Sullivan would end up not getting the win on the day however, as USF rallied for a total of 4 runs in the 7th and 5 more in the 8th to ultimately take the game out of reach for Cal, who would go on to drop the game 10-6 to the Dons.  

Esqueda Impresses Again

Another day, another strong performance from 2017 Sweets alum Isaac Esqueda.

The junior lefty from USC took the ball for the Trojans series opener Friday against Cal Poly and went to work.  Esqueda would go 6 innings, allowing just 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8 Mustangs.  

MID 6 | Mustangs come knocking but are shutdown. Esqueda with his 8th strikeout of the night.

CP 1, USC 0#FightOn pic.twitter.com/L7fwljuu6N

— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) February 27, 2021

Esqueda would allow an unearned run to score in the 4th, which proved pivotal in a game that saw just 3 total runs scored.  The Trojans would lose a close one to the Mustangs, falling 2-1 in a pitchers duel. 

Esqueda continues to show why he is at the top of the USC rotation this season, as he now has a team leading 15 strikeouts while allowing just 3 walks in 11 innings pitched in the young season.  The Trojans continue play this Friday, March 5 at home against Cal State Fullerton.

Across the Diamond

Other notable performances from across the college baseball world:

Junior infielder Jacob Blas (Sweets 2017 Alum) started in all five of University of Arizona’s games this past week, going 5 for 18 and scoring 5 runs with 1 RBI in the Wildcats 5 game winning streak last week.  He also turned in this fantastic defensive gem: 

What a play by @jacobblas10! Hard charge, great throw, gets the Cats out of a jam ? #BearDown pic.twitter.com/XAHM1Ujvho

— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) February 26, 2021

Junior pitcher Dimick Wood (‘18) started and threw 6 scoreless innings for the College of Idaho, allowing just 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out 6 for the Yotes in their 5-4 win over Northwest Nazarene University this past Monday.

Sweets Signees and junior infielders Caleb Farmer and Jordan Stubbings made their season debuts this past weekend.  The duo went a combined 7 for 22 on the weekend, driving in 3 and 4 runs, respectfully, as they helped Colorado Mesa start 3-1 on the season.

Senior infielder Brock Ephan (‘19) went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs and a home run in Saturday’s 4-3 win for Lewis-Clark State College over Oregon Tech.  Sophomore pitcher Bryson Spagnuolo (‘19) came on in relief during the game and pitched 1 inning, allowing 1 run on 1 hit and striking out 2 batters.

Freshman pitcher and Sweets signee Mason Kokodynski made his season debut for Loyola Marymount University in their 5-2 loss to the UCLA Bruins this past Tuesday.  “Koko” faced 3 batters and did not surrender a run in his ⅓ inning of work.

Junior infielder Carson Green (‘19) made his season debut for Montana State Billings over the weekend.  Green was hitless in his three games, but did have a run scored for the Yellowjackets.  Sweets pitching coach Jarrod Molnaa also made his debut on the MSB staff over the weekend.  Molnaa is in the same role with the Yellowjackets.

Northwest Nazarene University beat New Mexico Highlands 18-4 Friday, in a game that saw the NNU use pitchers who are all current or alums of the Sweets.  Senior right hander Ben Johnson (‘19)  picked up the win, going 5 innings and allowing only 2 unearned runs on 3 hits while striking out 7.  Sophomore left hander Spencer Schwehr went 3 ⅓ innings in relief of Johnson, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs while striking out 4.  Sophomore right hander Nick Irwin closed out the game, throwing ⅔ of an inning of scoreless work.  Senior right hander Ty Hueckman (‘18) had 1 inning of work in the Nighthawks earlier game in which they won 11-5.  Hueckman allowed 1 run on 2 hits in an inning of work, striking out 2 to close out the game for NNU.

Junior pitcher Reid Sebby (‘19) picked up the win for Oregon State University this past Friday against Grand Canyon University.  The right hander threw a scoreless inning, striking out 1 in the Beavers 3-1 win.

Washington State university pitchers Bryce Moyle (‘18) and Sweets signee Caden Kaelber both saw action in the Cougars 10-3 win Sunday vs Dixie State.  Moyle was up first on the day, as he pitched 1 ⅔ innings of scoreless ball, allowing just 1 hit and 1 walk and striking out a hitter.  Kaelber would come on in relief of Moyle, as the lanky right hander would walk one and strike out another in his ⅓ inning of work.

Central Washington University junior pitcher Brayde Hirai made his season debut Saturday for the Wildcats.  The Sweets signee got the start for game one of the double header against St. Martins University.  The lefty turned in a solid start, going 5 2/3 innings while allowing just 3 runs on 3 hits while striking out 4 in the Wildcats 4-3 win.

The next edition of the Where are they Now? Series looks at what may be the greatest Sweets team in the history of the organization in the 2013 squad.

Following a 2012 season that fell short of expectations, the Sweets roared back in 2013 for a season to remember on and off the field. In a newly-aligned North Division, the Sweets were relatively .500 throughout the year before going on an unprecedented 8-game winning streak to end the year 31-22. The Sweets won the division by two games.

At the start of the season, the Sweets continued their tradition of hosting unique, community-centered events. Walla Walla hosted The Battle of the Badge, an event that featured a baseball game between the Walla Walla Police vs. Fire. The event raised over $24,000 for charities and non-profit organizations.

The Sweets were once again in the top-50 in the nation in attendance for collegiate summer baseball teams, and those fans witnessed an excellent, tightly-contested WCL race. Three different teams were in first at one point during the season, including Walla Walla.

While the Sweets were knocked down in the wildcard round by the Wenatchee AppleSox, there were plenty of great things to reflect on. Nine players were selected to the WCL All-Star Game, including six pitchers and three position players.

On top of being top-50 in attendance, the Sweets were also ranked 41st by Baseball America in the collegiate summer baseball rankings. Cody Poteet was named a top prospect by Baseball America as well, as the UCLA product helped lead the Sweets to their best record in franchise history.

Poteet wasn’t the only elite talent that took the mound for the Sweets that season. Missouri State product Matt Hall was one of two Sweets to continue his major league career in the summer of 2020. Hall is one of many members of the 2013 team that has enjoyed a strong professional career of baseball.

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Staff

Two more position players and four pitchers will be sporting the red and blue this summer for the Sweets.

Quentin Ayers, Cameron Butler, Jacob Dahlstrom, Dylan Schwartz, Caden Kaelber and Eric Romo will be spending their summer in Walla Walla. This will the first year in Walla Walla for all six players.

Ayers, a catcher by of Northwest Nazarene University, will play his first season in Walla Walla. The incoming Nighthawks freshman and Spokane, Washington, product was a 3-time All-League selection at Mt. Spokane High School. He will major in mechanical engineering.

Cameron Butler is the other position player coming in. Butler is the epitome of a utility player and showed the ability to hit and pitch at Big Valley Christian High School. Butler is a senior in high school and has committed to play for Cal Poly.

Butler primarily serves as a middle infielder, but has also played the other infield spots, outfield, and pitched. In the 2019 season, Butler hit .427 with 25 RBI’s and 33 runs scored.

Jacob Dahlstrom gives the Sweets an elite right-handed pitcher. The 6-foot-7 from Renton, Washington, was the 19th best player out of Washington and sixth best pitcher in his class. Dahlstrom comes from Bellevue College, where he made 11 appearances during the 2020 season. He pitched the most innings of any player on the Bulldogs and went 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA. He struck out 10 batters in 11.2 innings.

Dylan Schwartz adds another right-handed arm to the Sweets rotation. Schwartz hails from Chino, California. Schwartz is currently in his first season at Pepperdine after showing great improvement in his final high school season. He upped his fastball velocity to over 90 and improved steadily over four seasons at Ontario Christian High School.

Schwartz chose Pepperdine because it is a good Christian university with good sports, as well as the closeness to home. His favorite player is Nolan Ryan and his favorite team is the Los Angeles Angels.

Caden Kaelbar has already made two appearances in his first season at Washington State. In his last outing of relief against UC Davis, the 6-foot-7 right hander struck out three batters in two innings. The Cougars took their first series of the seasons three games to one against the Aggies.

Prior to Washington State, Kaelber played in junior college at Spokane Falls Community College in Washington. Washington State is back in action for a four-game set beginning today against Dixie State.

Rounding out the additions  is Eric Romo, a senior at Cal Poly Pomona. Romo began his career at Golden West College where he played two seasons. In those two years he struck out 89 batters and made the All-Orange Empire Conference Second Team in his sophomore season.

In a shortened 2020 season, Romo was effective as the closer for the Broncos. He recorded two saves and opponents hit just 6 of 25 against him. Romo was 1-2 in seven appearances with an ERA of 1.29. He struck out seven batters across seven innings.

College Baseball officially returned this past Friday after nearly 12 months away from the diamond.  

After the 2020 season was cut short by the COVID-19 Pandemic, student athletes and universities across the country rejoiced as they returned to the field for the 2021 campaign.  Included were the many Sweets alumni and current players signed for the upcoming summer season.  

We take a look back at the best of the action and highlight some of the notable appearances and plays made.  Here’s the best of Week One:

A Loaded PAC 12 Slate

We’ll start on the West Coast, where eight Sweets players saw their name in the lineup card for opening weekend in the PAC 12.  

Infielder Jacob Blas (Sweets 2017) started at shortstop and batted second for the University of Arizona in their season opener Friday.  Blas went 1 for 3 with a walk in the Wildcats 3-0 home win on opening night against Ball State University. 

Blas would also start the final two games, reaching base safely 6 times in 17 plate appearances during the weekend.  The Wildcats would lose the remaining two games in the series and are now 1-2 to start the season.

The UCLA Bruins also kicked off their season at home, playing a three game set against the University of San Francisco Dons.  The Bruins have several former Sweets players on their roster including senior outfielder Patrick Caulfield (2018-19) and redshirt freshman outfielder Emanuel Dean (‘19). 

But it was infielder Jack Filby (‘18) who Bruins manager John Savage put in his starting nine for the season opener.  Filby, the designated hitter and batting 8th, was 0-2 with two walks in the Bruins 6-2 loss to the Dons on opening night.  Filby, starting and playing in all three games, finished the weekend 3 for 9 including a Saturday performance that saw him go 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in the Bruins 8-2 win.

Caulfield played in the final two games for UCLA, including starting Sunday’s game in left field and batting 8th.  He was hitless on the day, as the Bruins dropped the rubber match 8-3 to the Dons and fell to 1-2 on the year.

Staying in the PAC 12, just across town the USC Trojans were taking on the Loyola Marymount Lions.  The series featured a split of home games, with the first two played at the Trojans home Dedeaux Field and the final game Sunday at LMU’s Page Stadium.

The Trojans, like their crosstown rival UCLA Bruins, also have three Sweets alums on their roster: junior pitcher Isaac Esqueda (‘17), senior infielder Tyler Pritchard (‘18), and freshman Connor Cirillo (‘19). 

Esqueda and Pritchard got things going in the opener on Friday, with Esqueda taking the mound for the Trojans to start the season.  After a shaky first inning where he surrendered two runs, the lefty settled in. Esqueda would strike out the side in the next inning and didn’t look back, as he would not allow another run the rest of the night.  He would go 5 innings, allowing just the 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 7.  

MID 2 | That was more like it. Esqueda strikes out the side to bring the Trojan bats back up.

LMU 2, USC 0#FightOn pic.twitter.com/TAMGEKYo0A

— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) February 20, 2021

The win would escape the lefty tonight, as USC left it late and rallied to tie it in the 7th before (literally) walking off the Lions on a bases loaded walk in the 9th to take the 3-2 win in the season opener. 

Pritchard started at 2B but was hitless in his two at bats before being replaced by Cirillo at 2B in the 6th inning.  Cirillo would strike out in his one plate appearance on the night.

Cirillo, son of Sweets manager Jeff Cirillo, would see his name in the starting lineup Saturday and Sunday, hitting 8th and playing at 2B both days.  He was 2 for 3 on the day with a run scored in the Trojans 5-0 win. 

The Trojans would drop the Sunday matchup, as the Lions won in extras 9-8 (F/11).  Cirillo chipped in going 2 for 5 on the day with a double and 1 run scored.  The Trojans are now 2-1 on the young season.

Elsewhere in the Pac 12, the Oregon State Beavers opened their season in Arizona playing in the Sanderson Ford College Baseball Classic.  Junior pitcher Reid Sebby (Sweets 2019) pitched 1 ⅔ scoreless innings for the Beavers Saturday in their 14-1 route of the New Mexico Lobos, as OSU went a perfect 3-0 on the weekend to start their season.

The University of Washington started on the road, playing UC Irvine to open their season.  Redshirt junior catcher Michael Petrie (Sweets 2019) started and was behind the plate for both games over the weekend.  He was a combined 1 for 6 with an RBI and run scored while also throwing out one base stealer during the Huskies first two games.  UW lost both games 4-5, and are 0-2 to start the season.

Sweets shine for Northwest Nazarene

The weekend series between the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks and the College of Idaho Yotes saw five former and current Sweets players on the Nighthawks roster to start the season.

Sophomore pitcher Nick Irwin (Sweets 2019), senior pitcher Ty Hueckman (‘18), senior catcher Ben Johnson (‘19), and sophomore pitcher Spencer Schwehr (‘19) all suited up and played for NNU this weekend.  Senior shortstop Parker Price (‘19) is currently recovering from an offseason injury.

Schwehr got things going in the first game of the double header Saturday.  The lefty threw 2 scoreless innings in a relief appearance, striking out 2 in the Nighthawks 5-1 victory. 

Game 2 saw Johnson enter the starting lineup and was behind the plate, going 1-4 on the day with a run scored.  Hueckman came on in relief and pitched 2 innings, striking out 2.  Irwin came on late in the game and pitched a scoreless ⅔ of an inning.  NNU would go on to win the game 8-6 and are 2-0 to start the season.

Ahead of the Game

While most of Division 1 baseball started Friday, some teams have already gotten off to a head start with their season.  One of those being Lewis-Clark State College, home to 2021 Sweets signee Jack Sheward and 2019 alum Brock Ephan.

The Warriors began play on February 4 and are 7-1 on the season.  Sheward, a catcher, is taking a redshirt this season but Ephan is a main stay in the LCSC lineup.  Starting in all 8 games, Ephan is batting .242 with 1 home run, 2 doubles, and 4 RBI.  The Warriors will play their first game at home this Saturday in a double header against Oregon Tech.

Across the Diamond

Senior pitcher Matt Amrhein (Sweets 2017) picked up the save for California Baptist University Saturday, going 3 ⅔ scoreless innings.  The right hander struck out 5 while only surrendering 2 hits in the Lancers 6-2 win Sunday. 

Amrhein, give 'em the heater ??#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/DTdkNqIT23

— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 21, 2021

Also a senior for the Lancers, first baseman John Glenn (’17) started all 3 games this weekend against Pepperdine.  Glenn was just 3 for 14 on the weekend, but picked up 3 RBI’s for CBU as they started the season 2-1.

Cal State Fullerton senior pitcher Timothy Josten (’17) went 3 1/3 innings in a 15-1 decking of the visiting Utah Utes on Sunday.  The southpaw allowed just 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 4.  The run was unearned.

On Deck:

Other Sweets players set to have their colleges begin play this weekend:

Colorado Mesa – Thursday, February 25

• Jordan Stubbings
• Caleb Farmer

University of Montana State Billings – Thursday, February 25

• Carson Green
• Jarrod Molnaa (Pitching Coach)

Whitman College – Saturday, February 27

• Travis Craven

California native Cesar Lopez has called Walla Walla his summer baseball home for two seasons.

In 2021, the talented outfielder will return to the Sweets for his third season. For the senior out of Cal Poly Pomona, it’s another chance to add to what’s already been a memorable career in the West Coast League.

“A lot of my favorite memories have to do with the comradery that you get with the players and coaches,” Lopez said. “It was also a great experience to go on a nice winning streak to begin the year in the 2019 season.”

Lopez has seen success both in the WCL and at his home college. In 2019, the Downey, California, native hit .313 with 39 RBI’s and 25 runs scored. In last year’s shortened spring season, Lopez played and started in all 21 games for the Broncos and hit .309 with 11 runs, three doubles, 10 RBI, 10 walks and one steal. Lopez has shown an excellent ability to get on base and was the fourth toughest player in the California Community College Athletic Association to strike out.

Lopez has improved year by year in college. He credits part of that improvement to the Sweets and their coaching staff.

“The Sweets have helped me develop as a player because of the great coaching staff that will help you out with anything that you’re struggling with,” Lopez said. “The Sweets also provide an outlet to get plenty of reps and that is very important to me as a young player.”

Lopez has been one of the more consistent hitters for the Broncos and Sweets over the past few seasons. He sports a career average of over .300 with both teams and can play any of the outfield positions.

Lopez’s best season came in 2019, his sophomore campaign with the Broncos. That season, he batted .323 , good for second on the team, with .354 slugging percentage and .385 on-base percentage. He also produced 28 runs, five doubles, 22 RBI, 15 walks, five sacrifice hits, seven steals on 10 tries and a 10-game hitting streak.

With graduation coming soon, Lopez wants to pursue a career in professional baseball or law enforcement after college. He also has several other interests beside baseball.

“Outside of baseball, I like to train boxing as well as watching shows on Netflix,” Lopez said. “I also play video games every once in a while, although I’m not very good at them.”

The third edition of the “where are they now?” series looks at the third season of Walla Walla Sweets baseball.

While things did not turn out as well as anticipated on the field, there were still plenty of memorable moments from Borleske Stadium in 2012. The Sweets hosted their first WCL All-Star Game that drew over 45,000 fans to Walla Walla for the All-Star weekend. The Sweets continued to set themselves as one of the more fun venues in the WCL.

Outside of the game, the Sweets hosted a city-wide celebration and block party that included a dunk tank for then manager J.C. Biagi. The entire weekend changed the way the WCL All-Star game was celebrated and showed that there was more than just the game on All-Star weekend.

The Sweets finished the 2012 season with a record of 24-30, placing 8th in the WCL overall. There were still plenty of impressive individual performances. Pitcher Arturo Reyes (Gonzaga) was WCL First-Team selection that year and teammates Shane Zeile (UCLA), Brett Jacobs (WSU), and Hunter Virant (UCLA) were rewarded with honorable mention choices as well.

Jacobs, an infielder, led all qualified players on the Sweets with a .311 average. This mark was also the 13th best in the WCL. He also led the team with 12 doubles while posting one home run, 25 RBI’s and 20 runs scored.

UCLA Bruin teammates Zeile and Virant put together quality seasons as well. Zeile led the team with a .324 average in 28 games while posting four home runs. Virant posted a 2.30 ERA across nine appearances and 43 innings. He also struck out 35 hitters.

Th best performance of the year came from Reyes. The Gonzaga product was 4-1 with an ERA of 2.05, which ranked second in the entire league. In 52.2 innings, he struck out 37 batters and allowed just 43 hitters.

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

#	Player	B/T	Ht	Wt	College	Class	Hometown	Draft Status	Player Eligibility
16	Alex Bonczyk	R/R	6-3	190	Gonzaga	Senior	Las Vegas, NV,NV
20	Ryan Cooper	L/R	5-11	175	UC Irvine	Sophomore	Yorba Linda, CA,CA
24	Kris Paulino	L/R	5-10	180	UC Irvine	Sophomore	Ladera Ranch, CA,CA

West Coast LeagueSeason: Summer 2012

East Division	W	L	PCT	GB	STREAK	LAST 10
Wenatchee AppleSox	37	17	0.685	–	4W	8-2
Bellingham Bells	32	22	0.593	5	2L	5-5
Kelowna Falcons	28	26	0.519	9	2L	3-7
Walla Walla Sweets	24	30	0.444	13	2W	5-5

West Division	W	L	PCT	GB	STREAK	LAST 10
Corvallis Knights	32	22	0.593	–	1W	8-2
Cowlitz Black Bears	26	28	0.481	6	1W	5-5
Klamath Falls Gems	26	28	0.481	6	1L	5-5
Bend Elks	24	30	0.444	8	1L	3-7
Kitsap BlueJackets	14	40	0.259	18	5L	3-7

2012 Season Notables:

Simon Anderson played one season for the Taos Blizzard of the Independent Leagues.

Ryan Cooper played one season of independent ball following a four year career at UC Irvine.

Doug Ashby recorded 31 saves for the Baylor Bears in 2014.

Zach Brandon serves as the Mental Skills Coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks where he oversees mental performance services for players and staff across all levels of the organization.

Matt Imhof played three seasons of minor league baseball in the Phillies organization.

Kyle Kingsley played two seasons of independent ball.

Connor Lawhead was an assistant coach at Purdue Fort Wayne for five seasons.

Arturo Reyes made it as far as spring training with the Texas Rangers. He played 157 games in the minors from 2013 to 2019 and had an ERA just under 4.

Ben Ruff played one season of independent baseball.

J.J. Robinson played one season in the Appalachian League in 2017.

Nick Vilter played three seasons in the minor league baseball, making it to Double-A in the Rangers organization.

Shane Zeile played four seasons in the minors.

 

Two new infielders and a catcher will hit the field in Walla Walla for the first time in 2021.

Middle infielders Seth Ryberg and Chris Conniff, along with catcher Jack Sheward, have officially signed with the Sweets for the upcoming season.

Ryberg, a shortstop  by way of Point Loma Nazarene University, was an PacWest All-Academic Team selection in his freshman season. On the field he appeared in six games, starting in one for the Sea Lions.

Outside of baseball, Ryberg is a physics major at PLNU and wants to become an architect. His favorite athlete is Cubs’ infielder Javy Baez and his favorite food is sushi.

Ryberg has set the bar high for his second season and is anxious to return to the field.

“My goals for this upcoming season with Point Loma is to execute my role as an on base hitter,” Ryberg said. “For the summer with the Sweets my goal is to contribute as a great teammate and win ball games!”

Jack Sheward will suit behind the plate for the Sweets this summer. The Arlington High School product plays his collegiate baseball at Lewis-Stark College. Last season, he made 11 appearances with six starts in the shortened season. In those six appearances, he had six hits including a triple, knocked in six runs and scored one, hit .316 and slugged .421 with an on-base percentage of .480. He also threw out one runner.

Sheward, a redshirt freshman, was a standout athlete at Arlington and hopes to use that athleticism to his advantage behind the plate. The 6-foot catcher hit over .350 in three seasons at Arlington while also playing football. On the diamond, he was a four-year letterman who earned all-league honors 2017-2019 and all-state honors in 2018 and 2019 for the Eagles.

Sheward has been in the batting cages religiously over the last year preparing for baseball to return. While his hitting has progressed nicely due to his constant work on mechanics, Sheward wants to prioritize defense moving forward.

“Some goals of mine this season are to start at catcher the first game of the year and continue to improve my hitting,” Sheward said. “I also want to improve my blocking and defense at catcher.”

Sheward majors in kinesiology at LCSU. His uncle, Brian Traxler, played in the majors for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Rounding out the additions is middle infielder Chris Conniff. The 5-foot-10 infielder recently graduated from Norco High School in California and currently attends St. John’s.

Conniff brings quick hands to speed to the Sweets lineup and defense. The California product is a versatile hitter that can hit to all fields as a lefty. His biggest strength may be his defense, however, as he attacks the ball effectively and has good arm speed and instincts at the shortstop position.

Conniff had a decorated career at Norco High School. Last year he earned male student-athlete of the year honors and was ranked the 36th best shortstop in the California. He lettered three times at Norco and was honorable mention all-region by Perfect Game.

Conniff is the second infielder from St. John’s to sign with the Sweets, joining fellow Red Storm teammate Justin Folz.

The second edition of the “where are they now?” series looks at the second season of Walla Walla Sweets baseball. From the newly formed traditions, to the first playoff appearance in team history, the Sweets put together plenty of memorable moments in the summer of 2011.

After an inaugural season that saw the Sweets finish last in the West Coast League, expectations were much higher in year two. Like the previous season, the Sweets didn’t get of to a hot start. They found themselves holding on to a spot in the playoff picture come mid-July. Down three games in the wild-card race and with their season hanging in the balance, the Sweets won 13 of their final 20 games to beat out the Bellingham Bells for the final spot in the WCL postseason.

After finishing the regular season 26-28, the Sweets were met with a tough draw in the division series against the heavily-favored Wenatchee Apple Sox. Led by league MVP Alex Stanford, the Sweets stunned the Apple Sox in a 2-0 sweep to win the club’s first ever postseason series. Despite bowing out to Corvallis in the league championship round, the Sweets made major progress from year one to two. They improved their win total by 10, had six players including Stanford earn all-star honors, and swept the third ranked collegiate summer baseball team in the country in the playoffs.