Elks Take One of Three from WCL North-leading Yakima Valley
A sellout crowd watches the Elks’ annual July 3 fireworks show at Vince Genna Stadium in Bend, Ore. (Noah Wolf)
by Noah Wolf, director of media relations
noahwolf51 (at) gmail (dot) com
BEND, Ore. - The Bend Elks, who had won each of their last four series, lost one to the Yakima Valley Pippins, currently in first place in the West Coast League North division.
July 2, 2021 Elks Dominate Yakima Valley in Series Opener Bend 12, Yakima Valley 3
The Bend Elks have experience beating first-place teams, after taking two of three from the Corvallis Knights earlier this week. So when the Yakima Valley Pippins came to town, leading the West Coast League North, the Elks weren't fazed.
Behind dominant pitching and three big offensive innings, Bend (10-12) defeated the Pippins (11-8) in the weekend series opener, 12-3 on Friday at Vince Genna Stadium.
It was Yakima Valley, though, who got out to an early lead, scoring a run on two hits in the first inning to lead the Elks 1-0. The Elks grabbed their first lead in the second inning, thanks to four hits in the frame. Peter Mendazona (U. Nevada) had the decisive blow in the frame, breaking a 1-1 tie with a two-run double.
The Pippins, though, would keep themselves in the game, tying the game with two unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning.
It was all Elks from then on.
Bend wasted no time in reclaiming the lead, scoring four runs on five hits in the bottom of the frame. Mendazona recorded another RBI, as did the next three batters in the order: Sam Linscott (Lewis-Clark St.), Gavin Rork (Seattle U.) and Chase Matheny (S.C. Upstate).
That would be all the run support Kade Morris (U. Nevada) would need. He finished his outing registering the win and improving to 1-0, allowing just four hits and no walks in his six innings, striking out eight. Elks relievers Turner Thompson (Tulane) and Hayden Hattenbach (U.C. Santa Barbara) combined to throw three innings of one-hit ball, striking out five and walking none. The Elks have now gone 28 innings without surrendering a walk.
The Elks third and final big inning would come in the seventh, as five runs crossed the plate on just three hits. Linscott had a two-run single in the frame.
Offensively, every Elks starter notched at least one base hit, and seven of them scored at least once on the way to victory.
July 3, 2021 Yakima Valley Bests Bend in Pitchers' Duel Yakima Valley 3, Bend 1
A sellout crowd at Vince Genna Stadium was on hand to watch fireworks.
The hitters couldn't provide any.
The Bend Elks (10-13) were stifled by the Pippins' pitchers, falling 3-1 to Yakima Valley (12-8).
A.J. Lattery (Oregon St.) took a tough loss, falling to 1-1 on the season. He surrendered three hits and two runs (one earned), all in the first inning, throwing six strong frames and striking out five.
The Elks sent no more than four batters to the plate in every inning except the eighth, when they finally scored a run on no hits. Chase Matheny (S.C. Upstate) registered the lone RBI for Bend with a sacrifice fly. Julian Kodama (Seattle U.) was the only Elk with a multi-hit game, collecting two of the Elks' five base hits in his four at-bats.
July 4, 2021 Elks Fall Just Short in Series Finale Yakima Valley 5, Bend 4
The Elks came into this game with a couple impressive streaks hanging in the balance: a 37-inning walkless streak, and four series wins in a row.
The Yakima Valley Pippins snapped both.
The Pippins (13-8), in first place in the West Coast League North division, defeated the Bend Elks (10-14) in a close game Sunday at Vince Genna Stadium, 5-4.
It was all Pippins early on, as the visitors held a 5-1 lead through the top of the sixth inning. Yakima Valley got to Elks starter R.J. Gordon (U. Oregon) early, tagging him for four runs, all earned, on seven hits and three walks. Gordon struck out eight, but lost his streak of two-straight wins and quality starts, falling to 2-1.
The Elks, who were held to just three hits in the first five innings, made an impact with their sixth. After the Pippins walked a pair of Elks, Gavin Logan (Oregon St.) clubbed a three-run home run, his first of the summer, to pull Bend back within a run.
The Elks bullpen kept it close from then on, as Cameron Smith (Lewis-Clark St.), Cole Wilkinson (Linn-Benton C.C.) and Ben Ferrer (S.C. Upstate) all tossed a scoreless inning each, but the Elks couldn't find any more offense, falling 5-4.
Performance of the series: Kade Morris threw an impressive six innings of work in the first game, earning the win with just four hits allowed and no walks, surrendering three runs (one earned). Morris, the U. Nevada product, did not surrender a walk and struck out eight Pippins.
Player of the series: Julian Kodama (Seattle U.) notched two multi-hit games in the first two games of the series, while walking and scoring in game three, solidifying himself as the most consistent hitter for the Elks in the series.
Play of the series: With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Elks trailing 5-1, Gavin Logan (Oregon St.) clubbed his first home run of the summer, driving in three to bring Bend back within a run. The longball travelled an estimated 370 feet to right-center field.
Up next: Bend is back in action on Tuesday, taking on the Ridgefield Raptors in a three-game non-league series. The first game will be at Vince Genna Stadium, with the other two in Ridgefield, Wash.