Ridgefield Raptors come from behind to clinch series sweep over Edmonton

RIDGEFIELD — Upon making the catch on a throw from Jeff Hoffman to record the final out against Edmonton, Ridgefield first baseman Andy Allanson pumped his fist and shook hands with Hoffman, saluting the third baseman on a job well done.

The Raptors felt thrilled with the final result, a 4-3 win over the Riverhawks on Thursday at Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex, to finish off a series sweep only a few days removed from getting swept by the Corvallis Knights to open the season.

The team has been together in Ridgefield for only a week, yet the Raptors have already made progress. A big piece of team building, Allanson said, is players gaining each other’s trust.

“As a team we’re finally coming together,” Allanson said. “All those first-week nerves are kind of gone and we’re finally forming as a team.

“Time spent (together) and just learning to trust new guys. Trusting that the guy behind you is going to get the job done if you don’t.”

For the better part of Friday’s game, the Raptors (3-3) were in need of someone to step up at the plate. Twice, that player turned out to be Allanson.

Edmonton (0-6) held Ridgefield scoreless for five innings are taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Jack Wheatley RBI.

The Raptors, held to just one hit through five innings, broke through in the sixth when Allanson hit an RBI single to give Ridgefield the tying one.

But once Edmonton bounced back with a Carson Friesen RBI double in the top of the seventh to regain a 2-1 lead, the Raptors were back to square one.

In the bottom of the eighth, the stars aligned with Ridgefield’s top of the order due up. A Jake Tsukada single and Julian Nunez double, followed by a walk taken by Trent Prokes, loaded the bases for Allanson, the Raptors’ clean-up hitter.

Allanson, a switch hitter, took to the opposite side of the plate against Edmonton left-handed pitcher Brendan Wabick and showed off his dexterity with a deep fly ball to center field. Two runs scored to give the Raptors a 3-2 lead, before the Raptors added another insurance run on a Tristan Gomes RBI.

“I just wanted to hit the ball in the air deep enough so we could get at least one (run) to tie it,” Allanson said. “But I got fortunate enough to catch it a little better than I thought.”

That extra run turned out to valuable, because the Riverhawks made things interesting in the ninth down to their final out when Friesen belted a double into shallow center to bring Edmonton within one run. But, Ridgefield relief pitcher Ross Goldschlag got the next batter to ground out to Hoffman, who made the throw to Allanson at first, clinching the series sweep.

Ridgefield will play their next six games away from home beginning with a three-game series against the Walla Walla Sweets beginning Friday. The Raptors return home on June 16 to face the Cowlitz Black Bears.

Three moments

Caught slipping – In the top of the third inning, Edmonton’s Nico Libed hit a fly ball to deep right field and appeared to have an extra base hit, but lost his footing rounding first and settled for a single. Ridgefield was able to finish off the frame with two ground outs to keep Edmonton from adding to its 1-0 lead.

All square – After Tsukada led off the sixth inning with a single and Trent Prokes added a base hit, Andy Allanson provided a single to left field to score Tsukada and tie the game at 1-1.

Riverhawks respond – After giving up the tying run in the sixth, Edmonton got right back to work with a two-out Friesen double to score Mark Ossanna in the seventh.

Three players

Andy Allanson – The switch hitter from College of the Canyons went 2-for-4 with three RBI, none bigger than a base hit to deep center field in the eighth inning that scored two runs and gave the Raptors a 3-2 lead.

Trent Prokes – Following up a three-hit outing Wednesday, Prokes (Modesto College) went 2-for-3 to lead the Raptors’ bats Thursday.

Riley Barrett – In six innings pitched, Edmonton’s starting pitcher held the Raptors to one run and four hits with two strikeouts.

Three numbers

4 – Innings the Raptors went without a hit between a Trent Prokes base hit in the first inning and a Jake Tsukada leadoff single in the sixth.

3 – Double plays turned by the Raptors in the second, fourth and fifth innings.

2 – Series sweeps to open the season for Edmonton against the Bellingham Bells and Ridgefield.

RIDGEFIELD 4, EDMONTON 3

Edmonton 100 000 101—3 7 1

Ridgefield 000 001 03x—4 8 1

Edmonton

Pitching – Riley Barrett 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 K, 1 BB; Tylor Jans 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB; Brendan Wabick 0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 K, 2 BB; Brendan Loeppky 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB. Highlights – Daniel Dalabrese 1-4, 1 R; Jack Wheatley RBI; Jonny McGill 1 R; Tommy Takayoshi 1-3; Mark Ossanna 2-4, 1 R; Jakob Poturnak 1-4, RBI; Carson Friesen 1-1, 2B, RBI; Nico Lied 1-4.

Ridgefield

Pitching – Nick Bonn 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 K, 0 BB; Camden Oram 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 K, 1 BB; Nick Alder 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 1 BB; Ross Goldschlag 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 K, 2 BB. Highlights – Jake Tsukada 1-3, 2 R, SB; Julian Nunez 1-4, 2B, 1 R; Trent Prokes, 2-3, 1 R, 3 SB; Andy Allanson 2-4, 3 RBI; Tristan Gomes RBI; Jeff Hoffman 1-3, 2B; Jack Salmon 1-3.