Spokane Splits Doubleheader with Big Bend After Late Game 1 Loss, Game 2 Rally
Spokane dropped a tight pitchers’ duel in the opener before erupting early in Game 2 to earn a split with Big Bend on Friday at Gonzaga University.
Game 1: Big Bend 2, Spokane 1
Game 1 was defined by dominant pitching and limited opportunities.
Big Bend struck first in the opening inning, taking advantage of a Spokane error to plate an unearned run. The Sasquatch answered immediately in the bottom half when Castle Keaton delivered an RBI single to score Trent Woodhouse, knotting the game at 1-1.
From there, Spokane's staff was sharp. Sam Weaver struck out three in his inning of work, and Tiegan Ayers added four punchouts across three scoreless frames. Brooks Pinski and Tate Swanson combined for three more shutout innings to keep the game tied late.
Spokane finished with 13 strikeouts on the mound and allowed just five hits.
The deadlock was finally broken in the ninth. Big Bend put runners in position and pushed across the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly, slipping ahead 2-1. Spokane was unable to answer in the bottom half despite collecting six hits on the afternoon.
Castle Keaton led the offense with two hits and the lone RBI, while Max Workman added a double.
Game 2: Spokane 8, Big Bend 7
The nightcap was a different story, and Spokane made sure it wouldn't end the same way.
The Sasquatch exploded for five runs in the first inning, capitalizing on defensive miscues. Three unearned runs scored on an error before Workman ripped an RBI triple and Brady Wulf followed with an RBI single to make it 5-0.
Big Bend answered with two runs in the second and chipped away throughout the middle innings, but Spokane continued to respond. A sacrifice fly from Logan Spradling in the second made it 6-2, and his two-run single in the fourth stretched the lead to 8-4.
Spradling finished with three RBIs, while Trent Woodhouse set the tone at the top of the lineup with a four-hit performance, scoring twice. Max Workman added two hits and an RBI, and Spokane totaled 11 hits in the win.
Big Bend refused to go quietly, scoring once in the fifth and twice in the seventh to trim the deficit to 8-7. However, Spokane's bullpen locked it down late. Harrison Trunkey-Evans tossed two scoreless innings to secure the victory and preserve the split.
Standout Performers
T. Woodhouse: 5 hits, 3 runs scored on the day
L. Spradling: 3 RBIs in Game 2
C. Keaton: 3 hits, RBI in Game 1
Spokane pitching staff: 14 strikeouts in Game 1
