Walla Walla at Kitsap BlueJackets
- The Sweets won consecutive games for the first time this summer with their 5-1 victory on Friday night. They look for their first winning streak of the summer tonight.
- Andrew Mendenhall has hit in 11-straight, the longest current streak in the West Coast League.
- Zach Wentz had four hits in a game for the first time this summer and disappointed all in attendance. If he had struck out the fans would have received free burritos from Taco Bell.
- Austin Heaps started the summer 0-15 against left-handers but has gone 3-8 against southpaws.
- The Sweets have made just eight errors in their last nine games. Over the first six games of their road trip, they have made just four errors.
- The 15 hits and four doubles were both season-highs for the Sweets in last night's game.
- Walla Walla is hitting .226 on the road this summer and just .205 at home. Mendenhall's .326 average is tops on the team and Alex Stanford is not far behind at .309.
- Tim Culligan's third win matched Jacob Overbay's mark from last summer. Overbay went 3-2 in the Sweets inaugural season.
- Walla Walla entered Friday as one of the two teams to not have double-digit wins. They now have 10, leaving Kelowna as the only team yet to reach the teens.
An (almost) day-to-day recap of starting a West Coast League baseball team in Walla Walla. Starting from the ground up...literally. Started in 2009, lucky season #7 has first pitch on June 3, 2016. The time has flown...
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
A gem always helps
Walla Walla at Kitsap Bluejackets
- The Sweets got exactly what they needed on Thursday night from starter Brett Watson. The lefty delivered eight scoreless innings and Walla Walla's offense was able to give him three runs.
- Walla Walla's 3-0 victory gave them a victory in the three-game series with Bellingham and sends them to Kitsap on a positive note.
- Andrew Mendenhall extended his hitting streak to ten games with an RBI single and Alex Stanford had two more hits. He has two hits in three of the last four games he has played.
- The shutout victory also lowered the Sweets team ERA to 2.95. It is the first time it's been below 3.00 since the opening weekend of the summer.
- Despite the victory, Walla Walla's offense is still second-worst in the league. They have a .210 average and have scored 80 runs, both eighth in the league. They have also struck out the second-most in the league with a 192 strikeouts and have walked a league-low 70 times.
- Kitsap won four of the six games against the Sweets last year including sweeping Walla Walla at the Kitsap Fairgrounds.
- Sweets starter Tim Culligan will have his third crack at three victories Friday night. He enters at 2-2 with both of his losses coming against the Wenatchee Applesox.
- He has struck out 19 in 22.2 innings this summer and has only walked nine.
- The Bluejackets enter the series with a five-game losing streak but feature the league's third-best ERA at 2.36. They are also second in the league with 38 steals.
- The Sweets got exactly what they needed on Thursday night from starter Brett Watson. The lefty delivered eight scoreless innings and Walla Walla's offense was able to give him three runs.
- Walla Walla's 3-0 victory gave them a victory in the three-game series with Bellingham and sends them to Kitsap on a positive note.
- Andrew Mendenhall extended his hitting streak to ten games with an RBI single and Alex Stanford had two more hits. He has two hits in three of the last four games he has played.
- The shutout victory also lowered the Sweets team ERA to 2.95. It is the first time it's been below 3.00 since the opening weekend of the summer.
- Despite the victory, Walla Walla's offense is still second-worst in the league. They have a .210 average and have scored 80 runs, both eighth in the league. They have also struck out the second-most in the league with a 192 strikeouts and have walked a league-low 70 times.
- Kitsap won four of the six games against the Sweets last year including sweeping Walla Walla at the Kitsap Fairgrounds.
- Sweets starter Tim Culligan will have his third crack at three victories Friday night. He enters at 2-2 with both of his losses coming against the Wenatchee Applesox.
- He has struck out 19 in 22.2 innings this summer and has only walked nine.
- The Bluejackets enter the series with a five-game losing streak but feature the league's third-best ERA at 2.36. They are also second in the league with 38 steals.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Time to turn things around
Walla Walla @ Bellingham
- To say the Sweets have struggled at the plate this summer would be an understatement. Those struggles continued on Wednesday as they collected just four hits and were shutout for the third time in ten games.
- This season, the Sweets have been held to three hits over less over the first five innings on 13 different occasions. They have also been picked off 13 times.
- Another staggering stat is that they have allowed a first inning run in seven of the past ten games.
- Andrew Mendenhall extended his hitting streak to nine games, the longest hitting streak for a Sweet this year.
- Walla Walla is just 3-10 on the road this summer.
- Tonight's starter for Bellingham, Kyle Schepel, helped Grand Valley St. get to the D2 National Championships by going 11-0.
- In the last 10 games, the Sweets are just 3-7 but have received six quality starts (6IP 3R or less) from their starting pitchers.
- Ryan Richardson has allowed just three runs over his last 12 innings but has lost both starts.
- To say the Sweets have struggled at the plate this summer would be an understatement. Those struggles continued on Wednesday as they collected just four hits and were shutout for the third time in ten games.
- This season, the Sweets have been held to three hits over less over the first five innings on 13 different occasions. They have also been picked off 13 times.
- Another staggering stat is that they have allowed a first inning run in seven of the past ten games.
- Andrew Mendenhall extended his hitting streak to nine games, the longest hitting streak for a Sweet this year.
- Walla Walla is just 3-10 on the road this summer.
- Tonight's starter for Bellingham, Kyle Schepel, helped Grand Valley St. get to the D2 National Championships by going 11-0.
- In the last 10 games, the Sweets are just 3-7 but have received six quality starts (6IP 3R or less) from their starting pitchers.
- Ryan Richardson has allowed just three runs over his last 12 innings but has lost both starts.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Clutch hits missing for Sweets
Walla Walla @ Bellingham Bells
- Tuesday was another example of the Sweets struggling to produce in key situations. They left 11 men on base, wasting an 11-hit attack. The games the Sweets have won this year are the games in which they have collected those key hits. And as you can imagine, the games they have lost have been games when they just can't seem to get the big one.
- We have been talking about Andrew Mendenhall a lot lately and he has quietly put together an eight-game hitting streak. After starting 2-19, the Oregon Duck has gone 11-33 over the last eight games.
- Cory Mack was the big headline on Tuesday. The left-hander from Seattle came on in the third with the Sweets trailing 3-0 and rattled over six innings of relief. He allowed just one run on two hits, baffling the Bells in his longest outing of the season; spring and summer combined. The outing lowered his ERA from 13.50 to 3.68.
- Sabermetrically speaking, Alex Stanford leads team in the runs created category with 10.468. Used to see how many runs a player is creating with his offense, the most basic calculation uses H+BBxTB/AB+BB. The next highest on the Sweets is Chance Kopacz at 8.565. Wenatchee's Payden Cawley-Lamb leads the league with 20.769.
- Another fun stat to work with is secondary average. It is calculated by using this formula: TB-H+BB+SB-CS/AB. It is a ratio of bases gained per at-bat. It is common that the number will higher than your batting average. A score of .500 is very good. Only two players on the Sweets have secondary averages higher than their regular average; Elliot Stewart and Brenton Allen. Stewart is hitting .222 but has a secA of .365 and Allen's secA of .275 is 75 points higher than his .200 regular batting average. And despite hitting .311, Stanfords's secA is just .162.
- Tuesday was another example of the Sweets struggling to produce in key situations. They left 11 men on base, wasting an 11-hit attack. The games the Sweets have won this year are the games in which they have collected those key hits. And as you can imagine, the games they have lost have been games when they just can't seem to get the big one.
- We have been talking about Andrew Mendenhall a lot lately and he has quietly put together an eight-game hitting streak. After starting 2-19, the Oregon Duck has gone 11-33 over the last eight games.
- Cory Mack was the big headline on Tuesday. The left-hander from Seattle came on in the third with the Sweets trailing 3-0 and rattled over six innings of relief. He allowed just one run on two hits, baffling the Bells in his longest outing of the season; spring and summer combined. The outing lowered his ERA from 13.50 to 3.68.
- Sabermetrically speaking, Alex Stanford leads team in the runs created category with 10.468. Used to see how many runs a player is creating with his offense, the most basic calculation uses H+BBxTB/AB+BB. The next highest on the Sweets is Chance Kopacz at 8.565. Wenatchee's Payden Cawley-Lamb leads the league with 20.769.
- Another fun stat to work with is secondary average. It is calculated by using this formula: TB-H+BB+SB-CS/AB. It is a ratio of bases gained per at-bat. It is common that the number will higher than your batting average. A score of .500 is very good. Only two players on the Sweets have secondary averages higher than their regular average; Elliot Stewart and Brenton Allen. Stewart is hitting .222 but has a secA of .365 and Allen's secA of .275 is 75 points higher than his .200 regular batting average. And despite hitting .311, Stanfords's secA is just .162.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Time for a turnaround?
Walla Walla at Bellingham Bells
- Some wins just feel better than others and last night was one of those wins. The Sweets rallied from 4-2 down in the eighth to win 5-4. They scored a single run in the eighth and then two in the ninth to claim the victory.
- It was the first time the Sweets had won a game when trailing after the eighth inning. They had tied the game at 7-7 against Kelowna in the ninth last week but were unable to win the game.
- Elliot Stewart had three hits for the Sweets last night and also collected his fourth home run. That total leads the league and eight of his 13 hits have been for extra-bases this summer.
- Andrew Mendenhall picked up two more hits last night and also scored two runs. Over the last five games, Mendenhall is hitting .375 (6-16) with four runs scored.
- Stewart's eighth inning home run was the Sweets league-leading ninth home run of the summer.
- Tuesday's game with the Bells starts a three-game series against the team Walla Walla finds itself behind in the East Division standings. Walla Walla trails Bellingham by 2.5 games for second place in the East.
- Walla Walla has not won back-to-back league games all summer.
- The series is also a matchup of the two worst-hitting teams in the league. Walla Walla is hitting .211 and Bellingham is just above the Mendoza-line with a .201 average.
- Bellingham, however, as the league's third-lowest ERA at 2.46.
- The Bells come into the series with a six-game win streak. They won their first three games, lost 13 of their next 15 and now have won six straight. The last five wins have all come by a run, including the last three wins needing just five total runs to win.
- Former Sweets Danny Poplawski and Marshall Yanzick are members of the Bells this summer.
- Some wins just feel better than others and last night was one of those wins. The Sweets rallied from 4-2 down in the eighth to win 5-4. They scored a single run in the eighth and then two in the ninth to claim the victory.
- It was the first time the Sweets had won a game when trailing after the eighth inning. They had tied the game at 7-7 against Kelowna in the ninth last week but were unable to win the game.
- Elliot Stewart had three hits for the Sweets last night and also collected his fourth home run. That total leads the league and eight of his 13 hits have been for extra-bases this summer.
- Andrew Mendenhall picked up two more hits last night and also scored two runs. Over the last five games, Mendenhall is hitting .375 (6-16) with four runs scored.
- Stewart's eighth inning home run was the Sweets league-leading ninth home run of the summer.
- Tuesday's game with the Bells starts a three-game series against the team Walla Walla finds itself behind in the East Division standings. Walla Walla trails Bellingham by 2.5 games for second place in the East.
- Walla Walla has not won back-to-back league games all summer.
- The series is also a matchup of the two worst-hitting teams in the league. Walla Walla is hitting .211 and Bellingham is just above the Mendoza-line with a .201 average.
- Bellingham, however, as the league's third-lowest ERA at 2.46.
- The Bells come into the series with a six-game win streak. They won their first three games, lost 13 of their next 15 and now have won six straight. The last five wins have all come by a run, including the last three wins needing just five total runs to win.
- Former Sweets Danny Poplawski and Marshall Yanzick are members of the Bells this summer.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Oh so frustrating
Walla Walla at Wenatchee: Game 2
- It has been that kind of summer so far for the Sweets. Aaron Hoverson allowed just two hits over eight scoreless innings, handing a 1-0 lead to Ryan Richardson in the ninth.
- For the third time this season, the Sweets were unable to hold a lead in the ninth. And for the second time, it resulted in a loss.
- Zach Wentz was a bright spot for the Sweets, putting together solid two-out at-bats and finishing the night with two hits.
- Kevin Williams also continued to swing a hot bat. He had two more hits and is 5-13 over his last three games after starting 1-17.
- Austin Heaps' infield single in the 12th was his first hit against left-handed pitchers this summer.
- The Sweets spent their morning at the gym in Wenatchee. About two-thirds of the team headed over to Gold's Gym to get in their workouts.
- Ryan Richardson walked his first batter of the summer in the ninth inning.
- Walla Walla is now 2-8 on the road and have fallen 2.5 games behind Bellingham for 2nd place in the East Division.
- Prior to his leadoff double in the third inning, Kalani Brackenridge had gone 1-26 since coming back from a thumb injury. He started the summer 4-10 in league play and 6-15 overall.
- It has been that kind of summer so far for the Sweets. Aaron Hoverson allowed just two hits over eight scoreless innings, handing a 1-0 lead to Ryan Richardson in the ninth.
- For the third time this season, the Sweets were unable to hold a lead in the ninth. And for the second time, it resulted in a loss.
- Zach Wentz was a bright spot for the Sweets, putting together solid two-out at-bats and finishing the night with two hits.
- Kevin Williams also continued to swing a hot bat. He had two more hits and is 5-13 over his last three games after starting 1-17.
- Austin Heaps' infield single in the 12th was his first hit against left-handed pitchers this summer.
- The Sweets spent their morning at the gym in Wenatchee. About two-thirds of the team headed over to Gold's Gym to get in their workouts.
- Ryan Richardson walked his first batter of the summer in the ninth inning.
- Walla Walla is now 2-8 on the road and have fallen 2.5 games behind Bellingham for 2nd place in the East Division.
- Prior to his leadoff double in the third inning, Kalani Brackenridge had gone 1-26 since coming back from a thumb injury. He started the summer 4-10 in league play and 6-15 overall.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Nine game road trip!
Walla Walla Sweets @ Wenatchee Applesox
- The Sweets have arrived in Wenatchee are ready to start their nine-game road trip. It is the longest road trip of the summer for Walla Walla and it starts at the home of the league's best team.
- What was all that almost there talk the other night? A night after the Sweets played one of their best games of the summer, they were trounced at home 9-0. W2 managed just two hits for a sold out Borleske Stadium.
- Alex Stanford, Sean Santschi and Tim Culligan are all returning to the field where they played last summer and won a West Coast League title.
- Speaking of Paul Thomas Stadium, the wind is gusting and blowing straight out to right.
- The Sweets are the only team in the league that does not have an OBP above .300 at .293.
- Walla Walla managed just 11 hits in the three game series earlier this summer.
- Alex Stanford and Kevin Hawk were both 2-6 in the series against Wenatchee.
- Wenatchee won 14 straight games at one point this summer but have gone 6-3 over their last nine.
- Breland Almadova has hit in 18-straight, setting a Wenatchee program record. He's hitting .375 with 33 hits in 88 at-bats.
- Alex Phillips was great against the Sweets earlier this summer, allowing just one run over seven innings. He struck out six and has won four straight decisions after losing on Opening Night.
- The Sweets have arrived in Wenatchee are ready to start their nine-game road trip. It is the longest road trip of the summer for Walla Walla and it starts at the home of the league's best team.
- What was all that almost there talk the other night? A night after the Sweets played one of their best games of the summer, they were trounced at home 9-0. W2 managed just two hits for a sold out Borleske Stadium.
- Alex Stanford, Sean Santschi and Tim Culligan are all returning to the field where they played last summer and won a West Coast League title.
- Speaking of Paul Thomas Stadium, the wind is gusting and blowing straight out to right.
- The Sweets are the only team in the league that does not have an OBP above .300 at .293.
- Walla Walla managed just 11 hits in the three game series earlier this summer.
- Alex Stanford and Kevin Hawk were both 2-6 in the series against Wenatchee.
- Wenatchee won 14 straight games at one point this summer but have gone 6-3 over their last nine.
- Breland Almadova has hit in 18-straight, setting a Wenatchee program record. He's hitting .375 with 33 hits in 88 at-bats.
- Alex Phillips was great against the Sweets earlier this summer, allowing just one run over seven innings. He struck out six and has won four straight decisions after losing on Opening Night.
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