By Pierre Labossiere
Peninsula Daily News
SELAH — Wilder Jr. closed out its run at the Yakima Valley Peppers Tournament with two close losses, both decided in their opponents’ final at-bat.
Wilder Jr. lost Sunday 6-4 to Pasco as the Riverdogs scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to pull that game out.
On Saturday night, Wilder Jr. lost in similar fashion, as Yakima Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to eke out a 4-3 win.
Wilder Jr. is now 15-9 and had its five-game winning streak snapped. The team went 2-2 at the tournament.
Against Pasco, whom Wilder Jr. beat earlier in the tournament, Wilder Jr. used seven pitchers. Mason Nickovich, Kamron Meadows and Ty Bradow all pitched scoreless innings. Backett Jarnigan took the loss in the seventh as Pasco scored on three singles and three walks.
At the plate, Michael Grubb was 3 for 4 with a run scored. Logan Olson was 2 for 4 with a double that drove in a run in the fifth inning to give Wilder Jr. a 4-3 lead. He also scored a run.
Jarnigan was 2 for 2 at the plate with two RBIs and Adam Watkins had a double and a run scored.
Yakima Valley 4, Wilder Jr. 3
Trailing 2-1 in the sixth inning, Wilder Jr. scored a pair of runs to take the lead against Yakima Valley.
Silas Thomas had a single and Joey Hildebrandt hit a clutch double to score Thomas, tying the game at 3-3. Watkins then hit a single to drive in Hildebrandt.
Yakima Valley was able to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth with a single, double, walk and an error to retake the lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Wilder Jr. was three-up, three-down as they couldn’t manage a rally for a second time.
Silas Thomas pitched well in defeat, going six full innings and giving up three earned runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked one.
Beckett Jarnigan was 2 for 3 at the plate, with a double and a run scored. Hildebrandt had a double and an RBI, while Watkins had a base hit and an RBI. Bradow and Thomas had Wilder Jr.’s other hits.
Pasco 6, Wilder Jr. 4
Pasco 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 — 6 11 1
WJr. 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 — 4 11 2
LP: Jarnigan
Pitching
Wilder Jr. — Olson 1IP, H, 0ER; Nickovich 1IP, 2H, 2K, BB, 0ER; Woods 1IP, 2H, ER; Meadows 1IP, H, 2K, 0ER; Bear 1IP, H, ER, 2BB; Bradow 1IP, H, 0ER, K; Jarnigan 1Ip, 3H, 3ER, K, 3BB.
Hitting
Wilder Jr. — Grubb 3-4 R; Olson 2-4, 2B, R, RBI; Jarnigan 2-2 2RBI; Watkins 1-2, 2B, R, BB; Woods 1-2, R
Yakima Valley 4, Wilder Jr. 3
WJr. 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 — 3 6 2
YV 1 0 1 0 0 2 x — 4 4 1
LP: Thomas
Pitching
Wilder Jr. — Thomas 6IP, 4H, 3ER, 2K, BB.
Hitting
Wilder Jr. — Jarnigan 2-3, 2B, R; Hildegrandt 1-3, 2B, RBI; Watkins 1-3, RBI; Thomas 1-3, R, SB.
