Pullman baseball splits with Clarkston in wild fashion

Wednesday's baseball game between Pullman and Clarkston had just about everything,

Pullman (5-10, 5-7) trailed by two runs, then led by nine, then trialed by two again before rallying for a wild 17-16 win in nine innings. Clarkston rebounded for a 11-1 win in the second game to claim the Great Northern League title outright, but the first game had more than enough drama for both contests.

The Bantams (13-2, 11-2) rode an emotional roller coaster in the first game and at one point, were on the brink of losing via mercy rule. The Hounds led 11-2, needing to plate just one more run to win. Instead, Clarkston scored five times in the top of the sixth, then seven more times in the seventh to force a 14-14 tie. Following a scoreless eighth, the Bantams pushed two more runs across in the top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the frame, Pullman's Konner Kinkade singled, Jake Mendiola doubled and Griffin Bashaw singled to score both of the runners and knot the game up at 16. Bashaw made it to second on Jake Cillay's groundout, then reached third on a wild pitch.

With one out and the winning run on third, Mike Peterson walked, sending Evan Parks to the plate. Facing a 1-1 count, Parks hit a sharp grounder to Clarkston's second baseman, who fielded the ball cleanly and flipped to second. One out.

Attempting to finish off a 4-6-3 double play that would get Clarkston out of the inning, the Bantam shortstop fired to first, but the base umpire determined that Clarkston's first baseman had removed his foot before Parks got to the bag.

From third, Bashaw trotted home to score the game's winning run.

Clarkston coaches and players protested the ruling, but their efforts were to no avail.

"We were all just like, we couldn't believe that just happened," Beeler said.

Fitting then that a 4-6-3 double play would determine the outcome of the second game.

After securing an 11-1 lead, the Bantams and pitcher Jordan Bolen allowed Pullman its first hit of the contest in the bottom of the fifth inning, but sent Konner Kinkade back to the dugout when Spencer Walker grounded into a fielder's choice.

With one out, the Hounds' Jake Mendiola slapped a grounder to second baseman Josh Lane. Lane tossed to AJ Davis for one out and Davis threw a strike to Taylor Garrett at first, beating the runner and clinching the victory.

With a slew of hits and no defensive errors, the Bantams avoided losing consecutive games for the first time all year.

"(Assistant) coach (Mike) Madrid challenged them afterward," Clarkston coach Bruce Bensching said. "We can either fold and lose another one or just come back and get after it the second game and play baseball. They rose to the occasion. Guys were banging the ball around and it was fun to watch."

Beeler, an Idaho football signee, led Clarkston with three hits - all singles - and laments that his hardest-hit ball fell right into the glove of Pullman's center fielder.

"I was a little bummed," he said, "but I was still happy with 3-for-4."

Bolen tossed a one-hitter, but hit two batters and walked another in the third inning, allowing Pullman to score its lone run.

Minus those slip-ups, the Clarkston hurler was superb.

"I'm glad he stepped up, we're short a few guys, so he came in clutch for us," Beeler said.

Pullman coach Lance Lincoln, whose team is in the midst of a seven-game, 10-day stretch, yanked starter Jake Cillay early after the junior ceded six hits and three free passes in the second and third innings.

"They just came out firing right off the bat and that was the approach that we were hoping to have as well, but obviously we didn't get it," Lincoln said.

The triumph also gave Clarkston a triple crown of sorts: league titles in football, basketball and now baseball.

FIRST GAME

Clarkston 200 005 702 - 16 11 6

Pullman 304 223 003 - 17 12 1

Callen Wessels, Taylor Garrett (5), Nate Savolainen (6) and Kaden Buckner. Mike Peterson, Jake Wells (4), Spencer Walker (5), Griffin Bashaw (6), Konner Kinkade (6) and Payton Utzman.

Clarkston hits - Josh Lane 2 (2B), Brandon Ellibee 2 (3B), AJ Davis (2B), Jordan Bolen 2 (2B), Callen Wessels 2, Nate Savolainen 2 (2B).

Pullman hits - Spencer Walker, Konner Kinkade 3 (2B), Jake Mendiola 2 (2B), Griffin Bashaw (2B), Jake Cillay 2 (3B), Mike Peterson 2, Evan Parks.

SECOND GAME

Clarkston 016 04 - 11 10 0

Pullman 001 00 - 1 1 3

Jordan Bolen and Nate Savolainen. Jake Cillay, Evan Parks (3) and Payton Utzman.

Clarkston hits - Lane, Ellibee, Davis, Dylan Beeler 3, Bolen, Wessels (2B), Tyler Poe 2.

Pullman hits - Conner Kincaid.