Bittersweet in Walla Walla: Series Loss, Playoff Spot Secured
The Pickles kicked off their week in Walla Walla, facing the Sweets for their second three-game series of the season. Heading in, the Sweets were the only team to give Portland any real trouble — handing the Pickles their lone loss of the year up to that point.
The series opener was largely a quiet affair for the Pickles, as the lineup was held to just four hits. The power that has defined Portland’s season still made an appearance, with two of those four knocks being home runs from Josh Schleichardt (Vanguard University) and Aiden Taurek (St. Mary’s College of California). Aside from those blasts, there weren’t many highlights, as the Pickles dropped just their second game of the season, 7-3.
Game two on Wednesday was a much tighter contest, but ended in rough fashion. Walla Walla walked it off in the ninth, capitalizing on two Pickles defensive errors to score the winning run. Offensively, it resembled the opener — Portland again mustered just four hits. Kyle McDaniel (Utah Tech) had half of those, driving in his 25th run of the year and bumping his batting average to an impressive .432. Starting pitcher Dylan Smith (University of Northern Colorado) delivered a strong outing, going four innings with one hit and one earned run. Carter Speights (University of California Davis) also kept his scoreless streak alive, throwing 2.2 shutout innings and striking out two. There were positives to take from the game, but the Pickles couldn’t cash in on their chances, leaving 14 runners stranded in a 3-2 walk-off loss.
The offense exploded in game three, as the Pickles erupted for 17 runs on 18 hits. Luis Castillo (Transfer Portal) went three-for-five with three runs scored and hit his first home run of the season. Josh Schleichardt (Vanguard University) added his league-leading 13th homer, while Aiden Taurek (St. Mary’s College of California) stayed hot with a four-for-five night, scoring four times and driving in one. Bryson Glassco (Oregon State) led the charge, blasting two home runs and tallying seven RBIs. On the mound, Brock Roundy (Utah Tech) got the start and allowed just two hits and one earned run over three innings. Evan McGuire (Clark Community College) closed things out with a stellar three-inning relief appearance, giving up just one hit and no runs, lowering his season ERA to 1.13. The Pickles cruised to a dominant 17-3 win in the finale.
Despite the early losses, the week wasn’t without its bright spots. Portland officially clinched a spot in the West Coast League playoffs by securing the South Division’s first-half title — a fitting stamp on what’s been a stellar start to the season.
The Pickles and Sweets now sit even in their season series, each taking two of three on their respective home turf. Portland (19-3) heads into the weekend with momentum from Thursday’s offensive outburst and will look to carry that into their home series against the Ridgefield Raptors (11-13), starting Friday at Walker Stadium. Come out to celebrate ABBA Dance Party Night — and your postseason-bound Portland Pickles.