Elks struggle to solve the Portland puzzle

A no-hitter just slipped away from Jackson Elder’s fingertips in the fifth. (Sage Young)

Bend, OR - After racing out to an early lead, Bend's bats ran out of gas between the start and the finish line as Portland passed the Elks 6-4 on Saturday game two to secure the series win.

The Elks (7-7, 7-7), who were shutout the night before, seemed to have said goodbye to their hitting woes on a Jace Miller two-run two-out double in the opening inning of game two.

Yet, that jump-start didn't give the battery in Bend's bats enough charge to get going as the Elks went hitless over the next seven innings.

Still, suddenly, Bend's offense turned back on when down to its final out. The Elks worked three straight free passes off Pickles (8-4, 8-4) pitcher Nolan Ficklin to set up John Elliot. The incoming USC freshman in his Elks debut came through with his first hit in the clutch, slapping a two-run single into center field to cut the deficit to two.

That hit marked the Elks's first hit since the first inning and just the fourth for the game. Cold bats coinciding with a cold night.

Unfortunately for the Elks, the rally died there as Portland's Alex Overbay struck out Kaleb Karpstein to end the game. 

Now, the Elks' four runs, let alone even those two runs at the start of the game, would have been enough to win had it not been for Portland's five-run fifth.

Bend starter Jackson Elder (0-1) had a no-hitter in the making through 4.1 innings, but a Nate Wood single would change everything.

The Pickles' first hit spiraled into a string of four consecutive knocks and seven straight base runners to turn the game upside down on the Elks. 

Bend will look to salvage a win and prevent the sweep Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Get your tickets now and enjoy some Father's Day fun!