Spuds' ninth-inning charge comes up a run short in 7-6 loss to Mt. Spokane

MOSES LAKE — The sign on the dugout wall reads, “We will either find a way, or make one.”

The Central Washington Spuds were a single away from turning prophecy into fact Tuesday night in a rare home game at Larson Playfield, charging hard from five runs down in the bottom of the ninth in AAA U19 action against the Mt. Spokane Wild.

The Spuds (6-9) had the tying run on third and the winning run on second when the final out came in a 7-6 loss.

Early on, Central Washington looked like a team that was playing on one day’s rest after a grueling tournament in Missoula, Mont., over the weekend. Spokane took a 2-1 lead in the fifth as the Spuds’ energy level fluctuated. The Wild turned it into a 7-1 lead by the seventh and it looked like it was all over but packing up the balls and going home.

“We played a little better baseball than we played against Missoula, we kicked the ball around a little on Sunday,” Spuds manager Robert Haensel said. “Our goal today was to have better communication around the diamond. The last inning was key in that we didn’t roll over after going down 7-2. We gave ourselves to win it on a walk-off, which is all we can ask for.”

Central Washington took advantage of two walks and a Wild error to close the gap to 7-5 with one out. Cameron Duke, who tripled and scored in the eighth, drove in a run to make it a one-run game with one out.

“I thought the team stayed together in the dugout and we had the momentum the whole game. We didn’t put ourselves in a position to score until it was too late,” said Duke, who had 10 putouts in center field. “We just kept putting the ball in play and taking advantage of what they were giving us. I like to be a part of teams like this, we never stop fighting and we play the game with a lot of heart.”

Bailey Sanchez and Austin Valdez reached on back-to-back Spokane errors to load the bases. Ezekyel Ochoa put the ball on the right side and Duke scored on the fielder’s choice to make it a one-run game with two outs. Zach Valdez had a nice at-bat, working deep into the count before drawing the walk.

When the ball left the bat, it looked like Wade Visker’s flare to left field might have a chance, but the shortstop chased it down for the final out.

“It’s been kind of a roller-coaster ride so far this season, in that we started out pretty hot and dropped a few. Coming off three wins in that Missoula tournament I really liked our effort there,” Haensel said. “Today was a chance to get everybody in. I’m searching for that lineup that we can put together for the Palouse tournament. This was a chance for everybody to show what they can do.”

Cade Tunstall, who pitched a shutout in the win over Gonzaga Prep in Montana, did a solid job against the Wild. Mt. Spokane chipped away with flares and sporadic singles. But the Moses Lake right-hander who threw for Pete Doumit at Big Bend Community College last year, was in command.

“I didn’t throw a breaking ball until the fourth inning. I was just throwing fastballs with some movement in the beginning,” Tunstall said. “I feel like everything’s kind of coming together. We just need to limit the mistakes.”

The Spuds begin a 10-game road trip on Thursday at Lewis & Clark College in Lewiston, Idaho.

Mt. Spokane  000 023 200 - 7 7 1

Spuds           100 000 014 - 6 9 1

HITS: Cameron Duke 2-4 (3B, RBI), Brandon Swett 2-3 (2B, RBI)

Walleyes split with Eastmont Strikers

EAST WENATCHEE — Moses Lake settled for a split with Eastmont, winning the first game 8-5 before losing the second 4-1.

Blake Pugh and Gabe Passey drove in two runs each in the opener.

The Walleyes entered the seventh inning trailing 4-3 before plating five runs. Passey and Pugh both hit RBI doubles. Brent Mendenhall and Chayton Fisk added RBI singles.

Pugh pitched a complete game, allowing five runs on nine hits.

In the nightcap, the Walleyes led 1-0 before the Strikers scored four unanswered runs.