Bears finally snap skid
June 26, 2010 by YH-R Sports
EVERETT — It might have the happiest 1-for-6 game of Michael Weber’s life.
The Bears infielder, from Seattle’s O’Dea High School and Washington State University, produced a two-run single to highlight a four-run 11th-inning rally that boosted Yakima to a 9-5 win over Everett before an announced crowd of 3,680.
The victory, which snapped a six-game Yakima losing streak, was the Bears’ first at Memorial Stadium since 2008.
Yakima returns to host Vancouver at 7:05 tonight for the first of five games with the Canadians.
Ender Inciarte began the 11th with a walk, then took second on a wild pitch and went to third on Tom Belza’s single. Justin Hilt followed with a double to right-center, scoring Inciarte and sending Belza to third.
After Zach Walters was intentionally walked, Belza scored on Kawika Emsley-Pai’s groundout, on which Hilt took third and Walters moved to second.
Evan Button was then intentionally passed, after which Weber singled to right to score Hilt and Walters.
Yakima had scoring chances in both the ninth and 10th. It put runners on first and second with one out before coming up empty in the ninth, then advanced a runner to third in the 10th without scoring.
After falling behind 3-0 after one inning, Yakima scored twice in the third on a bases-loaded walk to Hilt and Walters’ sacrifice fly.
The Bears tied it in the fifth on Walters’ RBI single, then took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh when Jimmy Comerota stole home.
Everett went back ahead in its half of the inning, scoring on an error and Kevin Rivers’ RBI single.
Yazi Arbelo got Yakima back even in the eighth, however, with a leadoff homer to right-center.
Thursday night, Everett scored four second-inning runs off Miguel Pena and Yakima was unable to completely recover, extending its losing streak to six with 5-4 loss to the AquaSox.
6/26/10 Yakima Bears update
June 25, 2010 by YH-R Sports
Next game
Opponent: Vancouver Canadians.
When, where: 7:05 p.m. today, Yakima County Stadium.
Radio: KUTI (1460).
Website: www.yakimabears.com.
Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Brad Wilson (0-0, 7.20) vs. TBA.
Box scores
Bears 9, AquaSox 5 (11)
YAKIMA EVERETT
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Inciarte cf 3 2 1 0 Britton cf 5 1 2 0
Ortiz lf 4 1 2 0 Srrno 2b 6 1 1 1
Belza 2b 1 1 1 0 Mlloux 1b 5 1 1 0
Hilt rf 5 1 1 2 Rivers dh 3 1 1 1
Walters ss 4 1 1 2 Sharply 1b 4 0 2 0
Arbelo 1b 5 1 2 1 Rivero lf 5 0 1 0
Zabala pr 0 0 0 0 Baron c 5 0 0 0
Emsly-Pi c 1 0 0 0 Bello lf 5 0 0 0
Button dh 4 0 1 0 Phllps ss 2 1 1 0
Weber 3b 6 0 1 2
Pimntl c-1b 4 0 0 0
Comrta 2b 2 2 1 0
Moss lf 1 0 0 0
Totals 40 9 11 7 Totals 40 5 6 2
Yakima 002 010 110 04 — 9
Everett 300 000 200 00 — 5
E—Walters 2, De La Rosa, Sharpley. DP—Yakima 2. LOB—Yakima 11, Everett 9. 2B—Comerota, Hilt, Mailloux,Sharpley, Britton. HR—Arbelo. SB—Inciarte, Ortiz, Comerota. CS—Button 2, Sharpley.
IP H R ER BB SO
Yakima
Burgos 5 4 3 3 3 2
De La Rosa 1 2-3 2 2 0 1 3
Hale 2 1-3 1 0 0 0 4
Andrews W, 1-0 2 2 0 0 1 1
Everett
Thomas 5 5 3 3 3 3
Merry 1 1-3 1 1 1 2 1
Martinez 1 2-3 1 1 1 0 2
Arias 1 2-3 1 0 0 3 2
Diaz L, 1-1 1-3 2 4 4 2 0
Hudson 1 0 0 0 1 0
WP—Arias, Diaz. PB—PImentel. HBP— Phillips (by De La Rosa), Britton (by De La Rosa). Umpires—Cascioppo, Bostwick. T—2:59. A—2,417.
LATE THURSDAY
AquaSox 5, Bears 4
YAKIMA EVERETT
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Moss cf 3 0 0 0 Anston lf 3 0 1 1
Inciarte cf 1 0 0 0 Bello 2b 1 0 0 0
Ortiz lf-rf 4 1 1 0 Serrano 2b 1 0 0 0
Hilt dh 3 1 1 1 Mailoux 3b 3 1 0 0
Pimentel c 3 0 0 0 Rivers rf 4 1 3 1
Button lf 1 0 0 0 Sharply 1b 4 0 1 0
Arbelo 1b 3 1 1 1 Rivero c 3 1 1 2
Zabala rf 3 1 1 1 Baron c 4 1 1 1
Gomez c 1 0 0 0 Marcos dh 3 0 0 0
Weber 3b 4 0 0 0 Phillips ss 4 1 1 1
Comerta 2b 2 0 1 0
Walters ss 1 0 0 0
Belza 2b 3 0 0 0
Totals 32 4 5 3 Totals 30 5 8 5
Yakima 000 300 100 — 4
Everett 040 010 00x — 5
E—Bello. DP—Yakima 1, Everett 1. LOB—Yakima 3, Everett 7. 2B—Arbelo, Zabala, Phillips, Anston. SB—Ortiz. CS—Bello.
IP H R ER BB SO
Yakima
Pena L, 0-2 1 2-3 5 4 4 1 3
Cantwell 1 1-3 0 0 0 1 2
Pizziconi 2 2 1 1 2 2
Davisson 2 1 0 0 0 2
Hogben 1 0 0 0 0 2
Everett
Fernandez W, 2-0 5 4 3 3 1 4
Kesler 2 1 1 0 0 3
Kessinger S, 1 2 0 0 0 1 3
WP—Pena 2, Cantwell, Fernandez. HBP— Bello (by Pena), Marcoe (by Hogben). Umpires—Cascioppo, Bostwick. T—2:30. A—2,336.
NWL Standings
EAST DIVISION
W L Pct. GB
Tri-City (Rockies) 5 2 .714 —
Boise (Cubs) 4 4 .500 21?2
Yakima (D-backs) 2 6 .250 31?2
Spokane (Rangers) 1 6 .143 4
WEST DIVISION
W L Pct. GB
Everett (Mariners) 7 1 .875 —
Eugene (Padres) 4 4 .500 3
Vancouver (Athletics) 5 3 .525 2
Salem-Keizer (Giants) 3 5 .375 4
Friday’s results
Yakima 9, Everett 5 (11 innings)
Tri-City 10, Eugene 5
Vancouver 3, Spokane 2
Salem-Keizer 9, Boise 1
Today’s games
Vancouver at Yakima, 7:05 p.m.
Everett at Spokane, 6:30 p.m.
Boise at Eugene, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Salem-Keizer, 7:05 p.m.
Local report — Yakima Valley sweeps by Pasco
June 25, 2010 by YH-R Sports
SELAH — Thomas Wilcox’s walk-off grand slam in the nightcap polished off Yakima Valley’s 8-4, 15-3 sweep over Pasco in a Central Washington League doubleheader Thursday night at Carlon Park.
The Pak lifted its league mark to 6-4 and season record to 16-7 heading into its annual trip to Reno for a week-long tournament that starts on Sunday.
Yakima Valley shortened the night by winning the second game in five innings thanks to Wilcox’s blast.
Lukas Hinton pitched a complete game in the opener with nine strikeouts and six shutout innings.
For the day, Garrett Olson was 4-for-5 with six RBI, Cory Urquhart scored six runs and Alex Fickes was 4-for-6 with two doubles.
Game 1
Pasco 000 000 4 — 4 7 1
Yakima Valley 301 040 x — 8 7 2
Garza, Tracy (5) and Brunetti; Hinton and Snider.
YV highlights: Garrett Olson 2-3, 2b, 4 RBI; Kurt Lindemann 2-2, RBI, run; Cory Urquhart 1-1, RBI, 3 runs; Alex Fickes 2-3, 2b, RBI; Lukas Hinton CG, 9 K, 0 BB, 2 hits.
Game 2
Pasco 001 20 — 3 7 4
Yakima Valley 542 04 — 15 9 2
Thornhill, Lockridge (4) and Tracy; Smith and Snider.
YV highlights: Alex Fickes 2-3, 2b, RBI, 3 runs; Urquhart 2-3, 3 runs; Thomas Wilcox GS, 5 RBI, 3 runs; Olson 2-2, 2 RBI, 2 runs.
Beetles batter Vancouver
SALEM, Ore. — Damon Lybeck drove in three runs and Michael Woodkey pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts Friday as the Yakima Pepsi Beetles beat Vancouver Showtime 9-4 in the Salem Senior Legion Tournament.
The victory squared Yakima’s tourney record at 1-1 going into a meeting today with the Portland Baseball Club. The tournament runs through Sunday.
The Beetles are 15-14 overall.
Yakima 030 200 4 — 9 11 2
Vancouver 001 000 3 — 4 7 3
Woodkey and Lombardi; Brown, Fields (7) and Robby.
Beetles highlights: T.J. Smith 3-4, 2 runs; Damon Lybeck 2-4, 2b, 3 RBI; Michael Woodkey CG, 8 K.
ADULT FASTPITCH
Craft, Eagles post victories
Carlos Gonzales and Garret Brown drove in two runs each as Craft Brewing downed JRW & Associates 8-7 in men’s adult fastpitch action Friday at Rotary Park.
In other action, Tyler Berman tripled and had four RBI to lead Eagles to a 17-4 rout of Action Towing.
Craft Brewing 8, JRW & Associates 7
JRW 010 210 012 — 7 11 2
Craft Brewing 400 000 013 — 8 9 1
Shane Arndt and Casey Johnson; Mark Seward and Terry Mentil.
Highlights: Casey Johnson (JRW) 2-5, 2 RBI; Ken Hite (JRW) 2-5, HR, RBI; Garret Brown (CB) 2-4, 2b, 2 RBI; Carlos Gonzalez (CB) 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Mark Seward 3-4, 8 K; Shane Arndt (JRW) 10 K.
Eagles 17, Action Towing 4
Action Towing 301 0 — 4 5 0
Eagles 643 4 — 17 13 4
Chris George, Sean McCaulie (1) and Rogan Rousea; Sam Carr, Larry McCaulie (3) and Chris Berger.
Highlights: Craig Barnes (AT) 2-run HR; Tyler Berman (E) 1-1, 3b, 4 RBI; Matt Ward (E) 1-3, 2b, 4 RBI; Kelly St. Mary (E) 1-1, HR, 3 RBI.
YOUTH BASEBALL
At Brent Edwards Tournament
Carlon Park
Woodinville 11, West Valley Baseball Club 0 (WV: Derek Thomason 1-2.)
West Valley Baseball Club 8, Chehalis 0 (WV: Corey Onustock 2-2, 2 RBI, 2 runs; Jacob Nell 2-4, RBI; Mike Bonnet CG, 3 Ks.)
Woodinville 11, West Valley 0; West Valley 8, Chehalis 0.
Yakima Valley Peppers 9, Prosser 5 (YVP: Cody Ergeson 3-3, RBI; Jacob Monson 2-4, 2 RBI; Mason Hall 1-4, 3 RBI).
Yakima Valley Peppers 9, North Thurston 5 (YPP: Andrew Gonzalez 2-3, 2b; Travis Bersing 1-3, 2b, RBI, 2 runs; Garrett Fife 2-2, 3 runs; Hall 1-1, RBI).
At Walla Walla Tournament
Yakima Junior Beetles 15, Boise Senators 1 (YJB: Eric Sauve 2-4; Zach Alexander 3-3, 3 runs, 2 RBI; Josh Piper CG, 1 er.)
At Summer Sizzler Tournament
Parker Field
East Valley 16, West Valley Bees 2 (WV: Cory Loie 1-2, 2b).
Yakima Rookie Beetles 16, Cadet Baseball Club 10 (CBC: Josh Vickers 3-3, 5 RBI; Mitchell Higdon 3-3; Brian Griffith 5 IP, 3 K; Anthony Davido 3-4, 2b. YRB: Stacy Hernandez 3-3; Ike Mitchum 2-3; Gavin Rodriguez 3-3, 3 RBI).
Peninsula 15, Naches 7
Peninsula 8, Nampa, Idaho 7
Yakima Rookie Beetles 8, East Valley 4 (YRB: Will Packard 2-3; Kevin Smith 6 IP 8 K).
LATE THURSDAY
West Valley Bees 8, Cadet Baseball Club 5 (WV: Kevin Schwartz 2-4, 2b, RBI; Jacob Warner CG, 12 K).
Nampa Braves 17, West Valley Bees 7 (WV: Schwartz 2-4, RBI; Stephan Greco 2-4).
Nampa Braves 9, Rookie Beetles 5 (RB: Stacy Hernandez 3-4; Gavon Rodriguez 2-3; Landon Messmore 9 K).
Naches 10, East Valley 8; Peninsula 19, Cadet Baseball 4.
YOUTH FASTPITCH
At Regional/National qualifier
Clackamas, Ore.
Rip City 5, Yakima Stealers 0 (Jessica Harris 1-3; Tori Slobig 1-3).
Late: Sox hand Bears 6th straight loss
June 24, 2010 by YH-R Sports
EVERETT, Wash. — If not for an unsightly second inning, the Bears would have snapped their losing streak Thursday night.
Yet Everett did score four times off Miguel Pena, and since Yakima was unable to completely recover, its string of losses reached six with a 5-4 loss to the unbeaten AquaSox before an announced 2,336 at Memorial Stadium.
After one more game in the five-game series, today, the Bears return home Saturday night for the first of a five with Vancouver.
Yakima (1-6) fought back against Everett (7-0) and starter Anthony Fernandez, scoring three times in the fourth inning.
Roberto Ortiz singled, stole second and scored on Justin Hilt’s base hit, after which Hilt came home on Yazy Arbelo’s double. Arbelo took third on a wild pitch, then scored on Henry Zabala’s groundout.
After the Sox made it 5-3 in the sixth, Yakima again made it a one-run game when Zabala doubled and scored on a throwing error.
But the Bears, managed just one baserunner — that via a walk — over the final two innings.
Everett’s uprising in the second featured a leadoff single, followed by successive one-out wild pitches, an RBI single followed by an RBI triple and, after a second out, back-to-back run-scoring doubles.
When Pena then hit Fred Bello, he was replaced by Keith Cantwell.
Andrea Pizziconi yielded the AquaSox’ final run, after which newcomer Corey Davisson, a free agent signee from Evansville, allowed one hit and no runs over two innings while striking out two and walking none.
No Yakima player had more than one hit — none has since Ortiz was 2-for-3 on Tuesday.
Kevin Rivers was 3-for-4 for the Sox.
Late: 6/25/10 Yakima Bears update
June 24, 2010 by YH-R Sports
Next game
Opponent: Everett AquaSox.
When, where: 7:05 p.m. today, Everett Memorial Stadium, Everett.
Radio: KUTI (1460).
Website: www.yakimabears.com.
Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Enrique Burgos (0-1, 10.38) vs. Everett RHP Eric Thomas (0-0, 3.60).
Box score
AquaSox 5, Bears 4
YAKIMA EVERETT
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Moss cf 3 0 0 0 Anston lf 3 0 1 1
Inciarte cf 1 0 0 0 Bello 2b 1 0 0 0
Ortiz lf-rf 4 1 1 0 Serrano 2b 1 0 0 0
Hilt dh 3 1 1 1 Mailoux 3b 3 1 0 0
Pimentel c 3 0 0 0 Rivers rf 4 1 3 1
Button lf 1 0 0 0 Sharply 1b 4 0 1 0
Arbelo 1b 3 1 1 1 Rivero c 3 1 1 2
Zabala rf 3 1 1 1 Baron c 4 1 1 1
Gomez c 1 0 0 0 Marcos dh 3 0 0 0
Weber 3b 4 0 0 0 Phillips ss 4 1 1 1
Comerota 2b 2 0 1
Walters ss 1 0 0 0
Belza 2b 3 0 0 0
Totals 32 4 5 3 Totals 30 5 8 5
Yakima 000 300 100 — 4
Everett 040 010 00x — 5
E—Bello. DP—Yakima 1, Everett 1. LOB—Yakima 3, Everett 7. 2B—Arbelo, Zabala, Phillips, Anston. SB—Ortiz. CS—Bello.
IP H R ER BB SO
Yakima
Pena L, 0-2 1 2-3 5 4 4 1 3
Cantwell 1 1-3 0 0 0 1 2
Pizziconi 2 2 1 1 2 2
Davisson 2 1 0 0 0 2
Hogben 1 0 0 0 0 2
Everett
Fernandez W, 2-0 5 4 3 3 1 4
Kesler 2 1 1 0 0 3
Kessinger S, 1 2 0 0 0 1 3
WP—Pena 2, Cantwell, Fernandez. HBP— Bello (by Pena), Marcoe (by Hogben). Umpires—Cascioppo, Bostwick. T—2:30. A—2,336.
NWL Standings
EAST DIVISION
W L Pct. GB
Tri-City (Rockies) 4 2 .667 —
Boise (Cubs) 4 3 .571 11?2
Spokane (Rangers) 1 5 .166 3
Yakima (D-backs) 1 6 .143 31?2
WEST DIVISION
W L Pct. GB
Everett (Mariners) 7 0 1.000 —
Eugene (Padres) 4 3 .571 3
Vancouver (Athletics) 4 3 .571 3
Salem-Keizer (Giants) 2 5 .400 5
Thurssday’s results
Everett 4, Yakima 2
Salem-Keizer 11, Boise 0
Vancouver 2, Spokane 1 (10)
Eugene 6, Tri-City 1
Today’s games
Yakima at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Spokane at Vancouver, 1:05 p.m.
Salem-Keizer at Boise, 6:15 p.m.
Eugene at Tri-City, 7:15 p.m.
Late: Wilcox’s slam caps Pak sweep
June 24, 2010 by YH-R Sports
SELAH, Wash. — Thomas Wilcox’s walk-off grand slam in the nightcap polished off Yakima Valley’s 8-4, 15-3 sweep over Pasco in a Central Washington League doubleheader Thursday night at Carlon Park.
The Pak lifted its league mark to 6-4 and season record to 16-7 heading into its annual trip to Reno for a week-long tournament that starts on Sunday.
Yakima Valley shortened the night by winning the second game in five innings thanks to Wilcox’s blast. Alex Fickes and Cory Urquhart scored three runs each.
Lukas Hinton pitched a complete game in the opener with nine strikeouts and six shutout innings. Garrett Olson was 2-for-3 with four RBI, including a three-run double in the fifth inning.
For the day, Olson was 4-for-5 with six RBI, Urquhart scored six runs and Fickes was 4-for-6 with two doubles.
Game 1
Pasco 000 000 4 — 4 7 1
Yakima Valley 301 040 x — 8 7 2
Garza, Tracy (5) and Brunetti; Hinton and Snider.
YV highlights: Garrett Olson 2-3, 2b, 4 RBI; Kurt Lindemann 2-2, RBI, run; Cory Urquhart 1-1, RBI, 3 runs; Alex Fickes 2-3, 2b, RBI; Lukas Hinton CG, 9 K, 0 BB, 2 hits.
Game 2
Pasco 001 20 — 3 7 4
Yakima Valley 542 04 — 15 9 2
Thornhill, Lockridge (4) and Tracy; Smith and Snider.
YV highlights: Alex Fickes 2-3, 2b, RBI, 3 runs; Urquhart 2-3, 3 runs; Thomas Wilcox GS, 5 RBI, 3 runs; Olson 2-2, 2 RBI, 2 runs.
CWL standings
W L Pct.
Yakima 6 2 .750
Kennewick 8 4 .667
Twin City 5 3 .625
Yak. Valley 6 4 .600
Wenatchee 4 6 .400
Pasco 2 8 .200
Hanford 1 5 .167
Thursday’s scores
Yakima Valley 8-15, Pasco 4-3
Wednesday’s scores
Yakima 17-7, Hanford 7-5
Kennewick 10-9, Pasco 6-7
Wenatchee 5-8, Twin City 2-4
All-Around Game
June 24, 2010 by Scott Spruill
Selah’s Lunceford a menace on both sides of the line ||
YAKIMA, Wash. — With Jake Lunceford, there are no trade-offs.
He has size and speed.
He’s agile and stout.
He excels on offense and defense.
Selah’s Jake Lunceford (71) blocks West Valley’s Scott Epperheimer (26) on a run play during a Sept. 4 game at Clasen Field. (Andy Sawyer/Yakima Herald-Republic file)
He can stand his ground in the trenches and chase with abandon in the open field.
That’s how it was for the omnipresent Selah standout during his final football season last fall, and that’s how Lunceford assembled cred-entials on par with anyone in Saturday’s 16th annual Earl Barden All-Star Football Classic at Zaepfel Stadium.
“Everybody knew who he was,” said Selah head coach Jeff Jamieson. “Even if they didn’t know his name, they knew No. 71.”
At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Lunceford was a three-year starter at offensive tackle and defensive end for the Vikings, who won 22 games over that span. It was on defense, however, where his presence was felt most as a unanimous first-team CWAC and all-state selection at defensive end.
There’s no mystery why that is. To Lunceford, offense is an assignment and defense is an attitude.
“I prefer defense, absolutely,” he said during a break from two-a-day practices this week. “I guess the best way to describe it is that the attitude I like to play with is easier to display on defense. Offense is more reserved, kind of holding back. I don’t like that as much.”
Of course, there are 70 of the state’s best Class 2A, 1A and 2B senior players in town this week, including two of his teammates in Quincy Davis and Justin Lamson, who also have a zeal for turning it loose. The idea of raising his game to meet higher demands is a thrill, even in a summer out-of-season game.
“It’s awesome seeing all the talent here,” Lunceford said. “It’s a big challenge. One thing that helped me — and I hate to sound cocky about it — is that I was faster than a lot of quarterbacks and running backs in the league and I could come off the edge and chase them down. This week, obviously, it’s different.”
That speed blended into a 6-4 frame is what made Lunceford such a menace in the CWAC. And just on offense and defense — he blocked two field goals last season.
“Jake can play strong against a tight end and when we saw a spread (offense) he could really play in an open formation,” Jamieson noted. “With his size and speed he could cover a lot of ground.”
Having been a two-way starter for three years, Lunceford was a constant presence on the field for 33 games. But one Friday night stands out from all others — Selah’s 28-27 home win over Prosser last fall. The Vikings trailed 19-0 at halftime but rallied ahead with 11 seconds left in a game that ultimately decided a state berth.
“Definitely, by far that was the best game,” he said. “And I honestly have no idea what happened, how we came back. It was just something between us — we found a way to click all of a sudden.”
Saturday’s 1 p.m. all-star game will be Lunceford’s final time on the football field. But his future will continue to be dictated by his confident and physical nature. He has joined the Army and will report for Airborne infantry training at Fort Benning, Ga., in October.
Fuerst set for 4A-3A game
June 24, 2010 by YH-R Sports
EVERETT, Wash. — While eight local players participate in the Barden Classic, Eisenhower’s Joe Fuerst will be the lone area player in Saturday’s Class 4A-3A East-West all-star football game.
Fuerst is one of three players from the CBBN on the East squad, joining Southridge’s Austin Graves and Brent Anderson. The Cadets’ CWU signee expects to get playing time at running back, linebacker and on special teams.
The game at Everett Memorial Stadium is set for 1 p.m. Spokane will host next year’s game.
Warriors need win to stay in the hunt
June 24, 2010 by Dave Thomas
YAKIMA, Wash. — The regular-season ending is really just the start for the Yakima Valley Warriors when it comes to the postseason.
Yakima Valley’s playoff fate hinges on a couple of outside factors, but neither of those dominoes will fall unless the Warriors get them started with a victory over San Jose in their regular-season finale Saturday in the SunDome.
If that happens, Yakima Valley (7-6) will then become big fans of the first-place Wyoming Cavalry, who host Wenatchee Valley (6-6) on Saturday and San Jose (8-4) next week.
Wyoming victories in both of those games would create a second-place tie between Yakima Valley and San Jose and eliminate Wenatchee Valley. The Warriors would own the tiebreaker with San Jose having won the season series between the two.
“All we can do is concentrate on beating San Jose and then let the chips fall from there,” Warriors director of football operations Michael Mink said, adding that won’t be an easy task.
“It’ll be a dogfight with San Jose,” he said. “We’ll have to play our best game to get a victory.”
Difficult but not impossible.
Yakima Valley enters the game having won three of its past four games, including a dramatic 50-49 victory at San Jose on June 12.
However, San Jose owns a SunDome victory over Yakima Valley, roughing up the Warriors 82-50 back on April 10.
San Jose remains one of the league’s top offensive units, led by quarterback Omar Jacobs.
The Wolves rank second in the American Indoor Football Association in both scoring (55.6 points per game) and passing (207.7 yards per game), and Jacobs ranks third (219.8 ypg).
But since that early-season whipping, Yakima Valley has improved its defense, starting with the addition of former Central Washington University players Jerome Williams and Prince Hall.
In particular, Yakima Valley did a better job containing Jacobs, which will once again be a key to a victory Saturday.
In San Jose’s victory over the Warriors, Jacobs was 21 of 34 for 319 yards, but two weeks ago, he was just 15 of 26 for 240 yards.
“Omar Jacobs is a tremendous quarterback,” Mink said. “We have to be able to get some pressure on him, make defensive stops against them and get some turnovers.”
If Yakima Valley can accomplish that, then it can keep dreaming of the playoffs for at least a little while longer.
“We have to get this win and then see what happens,” Mink said. “That’s all we can do.”
FALLING DOMINOES
What needs to happen for the Yakima Valley Warriors (7-6) to make the AIFA playoffs:
• Beat San Jose (8-4) on Saturday in the SunDome.
• Wenatchee Valley (6-6) loses at least one of its final two games — either Saturday at Wyoming (12-0) or July 3 at home against Wasilla (4-9).
• San Jose loses its season finale July 4 at Wyoming.
That would leave Yakima Valley and San Jose tied for second with 8-6 records, and the Warriors advance because it would have won the season series.
Local report: Bellingham beats Beetles
June 24, 2010 by YH-R Sports
SALEM, Ore. — Things didn’t get off to a good start for the Yakima Pepsi Beetles in the Salem Senior Legion Tournament as they fell to Bellingham 16-2 on Thursday.
Will Scott had two hits and an RBI, and Nick Lombardi hit a solo home run, but Yakima couldn’t overcome Bellingham’s 11-run second inning.
Anthony Pitsch went 4-for-4 with a double, homer and two RBI, and Zack Slesk drove in five runs, three on a homer, to lead Bellingham.
Yakima (14-14) will face Vancouver this afternoon.
Yakima 000 02 — 2 5 3
Bellingham 0(11)3 2x — 16 15 2
Lybeck, Klingele (2) and Reyes, Lombardi (3); Albert and Frost.
Highlights: Will Scott (Y) 2-3, RBI; Nick Lombardi (Y) 1-2, HR; Anthony Pitsch (B) 4-4, 2b, HR, 2 RBI; Zack Slesk (B) 3-run HR, 5 RBI.
ADULT FASTPITCH
Eagles hand JRW first loss
Dan Jensen was 4-for-4 with two RBI as the Yakima Eagles handed JRW & Associates its first loss of the season with a 13-3 victory in Summer League play Wednesday at the Gateway Complex.
TUESDAY’S LATE GAMES
Peak Performance 9, Craft Brewing 4
Craft Brewing 100 011 1 — 4 6 1
Peak Perform. 010 062 x — 9 9 4
Seward and Gonzalez; Harris and Cawley-Murphree.
Highlights: Matt Stigas (CB) 3-3; Mark Seward (CB) 10 K; Bobby Harris (PP) 8 K, 2-3, RBI; Eric Hansen (PP) 1-3, 2 RBI.
Yakima Eagles 13, JRW & Associates 3
Yakima Eagles 632 20 — 13 14 2
JRW & Associates 110 01 — 3 6 3
Karr and Root; Hite and Johnson.
Highlights: Dan Jensen (YE) 4-4, 2 RBI; Shane Jones (YE) 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 2b; Kevin Root (YE) 3-4, 3 RBI, 3b; Matt Ward (YE) 2-3, 2 RBI, 3b; Tim Fischer (JRW) 2-3, 2 solo HRs.
YOUTH BASEBALL
Summer Sizzler Tournament
At Parker Field
Peninsula Sunami 19, Cadet Baseball Club 4 (PS: Davis 1-1, 3 runs; Boyd 2-2, 2 RBI. CBC: Josh Vickers 2-2, 2b, RBI; Michael Sawyer 1-2, 2 runs, RBI.)
West Valley Bees 8, Cadet Baseball Club 5 (CBC: Michael Sawyer 3b, Aden Watkins 3b, Josh Vickers 6 IP, 3 ER, 5 K).
West Valley Bees 8, Cadet Baseball Club 5 (WV: Kevin Schwartz 2-4, 2b, RBI; Jacob Warner CG, 12 K).
Nampa Braves 17, West Valley Bees 7 (WV: Schwartz 2-4, RBI; Stephan Greco 2-4).
Nampa Braves 9, Rookie Beetles 5 (RB: Stacy Hernandez 3-4; Gavon Rodriguez 2-3; Landon Messmore 9 K).
Naches 10, East Valley 8
Peninsula 19, Cadet Baseball 4
Walla Walla Tournament
Pepsi Diamond Jacks 7, Junior Beetles 6 (JB: Jacob Sanders 2-3, 2 runs; Lavonte Allen 1-2, 3 RBI; Zack Alexander 2 RBI).
