The Ridgefield Raptors look to get back on track against the Pippins in Yakima Valley after being swept for the first time this season over the weekend by the Walla Walla Sweets.
The Raptors dropped the series opener 4-3 Friday night in front of a packed crowd at Borleske Stadium. Isaiah Hearn (Oregon) tied the game at 1-1 with a leadoff solo home run—his fifth of the season—to right field in the top of the fifth inning.
Cade Ladehoff (Michigan) gave Ridgefield the lead with a bases-loaded RBI single, and Hearn added another run by grounding into a double play to put the Raptors ahead 3-1.
Walla Walla answered with a three-run sixth inning to reclaim the lead. After loading the bases with one out, Cole Rogers delivered an RBI single to center before Payton Knowles followed with a two-run single to right, giving the Sweets a 4-3 advantage.
The Sweets bullpen shut down the Raptors, allowing just one hit over the final three innings to secure the opener.
Saturday’s game told a different story as Walla Walla edged Ridgefield 10-7 despite committing six errors and being outhit 8-7.
Neither starting pitcher lasted longer than four innings. Parker Heintz (Fresno State) surrendered just one hit through his first three innings before the Sweets rallied in the fourth. After hitting the leadoff batter and allowing a single, Heintz gave up an inside-the-park three-run home run to Jaylen Kennedy that tied the game at 4-4.
Walla Walla continued to apply pressure, scoring in every inning from the fourth through the seventh. Tyler Walker (Washington) walked three consecutive batters with one out in the seventh before Mateo Rojas (Canada College) hit the first batter he faced. Ronan Scoffield then capped the inning with a two-run single to extend the Sweets’ lead to 10-7.
The Raptors wrapped up the series with a 13-9 loss Sunday night in a slugfest. College of the Canyons teammates Reid Farrell and Ben Strutt combined to go 6-for-9 at the plate as Ridgefield fell to 20-10 overall.
Ridgefield will look to finish its road trip through Washington’s wine country on a high note when it opens a three-game series against the Yakima Valley Pippins on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. PT in all three games.
Fans can visit ridgefieldraptors.com to purchase tickets for the upcoming home series against the Portland Pickles, July 10-12, at the RORC. Livestreams of all games are available at ridgefieldraptors.com/stream.