Elks Win 14-Inning Marathon on Dipaolo Walk-Off Dinger
Elks Catcher Luca Dipaolo launched a two-run walk-off homer to put an end to a fourteen-inning marathon with the Springfield Drifters. (Andrew Green)
Bend, OR. - In a 14-inning marathon filled with nearly 40 strikeouts combined and two nine-inning shutout spans, the Bend Elks crossed the finish line victorious Tuesday on a two-run walk-off no-doubter by Luca Dipaolo to give the Elks the 7-5 win over the Springfield Drifters.
After reaching only four base runners between the sixth and thirteenth innings, Bend finally found its big break when Tyler Peterson led off the fourteenth with a single to center. Derek Gellos, who led Bend with four hits, delivered an equally clutch hit and run groundout to set up the Dipaolo deep ball dagger. The win marked the Elks' sixth walk-off win and fourth extra-inning victory this season. It was the first walk-off homer for Bend since Isaiah Burke hit a three-run blast to lift the Elks over the Corvallis Knights in 2022.
Up until the Dipaolo bomb, it was a slugfest on the mound between both bullpens. Springfield tossed a franchise record 21 K's in the game, including a span of eight straight strikeouts between the end of the ninth and the start of the twelfth. Drifters reliever Kaden Alberghinini led the charge with a game-high and season-best eight strikeouts. The Drifters' 21 strikeouts sit just behind the Portland Pickles' astounding 24 K's for the most punchouts in a game in the West Coast League this season.
But Alberghinini wasn't the only one burning batters off the rubber. The Elks rotation shined through with a spotlight of their own, tossing a season-high 17 strikeouts, surpassing its previous total of 14. The former WCL Pitcher of the Week, Ryan Rembisz, set the tone early, matching his season-high six strikeouts from the last time he faced the Drifters and earned the esteemed recognition. After Springfield put the game at a deadlock 5-5 tie with three runs off Connor Nipp in the fifth, Danny Sales looked to one of the Elks' most star-striking arms, Mahiro Tomita. Tomita lived up to his stardom, retiring 15 of the 17 batters he faced between the sixth and the 10th, with nearly half of those coming on Tomita's season-high seven strikeouts.
Two-way talent Elijah Rogalski gave Bend a couple more K's and scoreless frames, including working out of a jam with two runners in scoring position in the twelfth. Gus Rogers would continue the Elks' shutout success, retiring six of the seven Drifters he faced, plus a punchy to earn the honor as the winning pitcher on a night loaded with talented hurlers.
With the exception of the walk-off blast, all the game's offensive action got packed into the first five innings. The Elks struck first on a two-RBI single by Ryan Christiansen in the opening frame to put Bend in control early. Yet it didn't take for the Drifters to respond with a pair of two-out RBI base hits by Cade Crist and Hunter Dryden to pull even at two in the fourth.
The Elks snapped right back to reclaim the advantage on an RBI single to center by Tyler Peterson piggybacked by a Gellos two-run homer in the next at-bat to give Bend a three-run cushion. That comfort would last all but one out as Springfield answered with a three-spot of their own in the top of the fifth on a Collin Curry two-run triple and sac-fly by Cole Calnon to put the game at a 5-5 stillstand draw.
Bend had 14 total hits, while Springfield finished with 10. Both dugouts had four players finish with multiple hits. Gellos posted a game-high four hits for his fifth multi-hit game and second quad-knock effort in the seven contests he has played this season. Dipaolo went three for seven and drove in two runs. His walk-off home run marked the 20th long ball of the summer for the Elks, who lead the WCL South in homers.
It's now a quick turnaround for Bend, who will try to get some much-needed rest before battling it out with Springfield again Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. in search of a series win in the Elks final homestand at Vince Genna Stadium.
