The Yakima Valley baseball team overcame a rare off day earlier in the week to earn a road sweep of Big Bend on Saturday. After dropping both games at home to the Vikings on Wednesday, the Yaks left no doubt in the rematch, putting up 36 runs in the two-game set to improve to 8-4 in the NWAC East (24-10 overall).

YVC was sitting pretty early in game one, leading 10-2 through the first four innings. Big Bend got five runs back in the fifth and sixth, but the Yaks exploded for 12 runs in the ninth on the way to a 23-7 victory. Jackson Walker, Garren Gooler and Cody Densley hit home runs, while seven players drove in at least two runs.

Densley finished 4-for-5 with three RBI and four runs scored, Jace Fillmore was 4-for-5 with two RBI and four runs, Walker went 2-for-5 with five RBI, and Diego Dickson went 2-for-5 with three RBI and three runs. Will Feltus and Easton Anderson added two RBI apiece as the Yaks outhit the Viks 18-9. Starter Boston Snyder picked up the win, striking out eight and allowing nine hits and seven runs over seven innings. Jake Roscher pitched two scoreless innings to close things out.

The Yaks had everything working well in game two, cruising to a 13-0 win behind a seven-inning complete game by Tannon Marsalis, who struck out six and allowed just three hits and two walks. On offense, four players — Feltus, Fillmore, Walker and Jaden Estrada — recorded three hits each as the Yaks scattered 16 hits. Estrada drove in four runs, Walker had three RBI and Anderson plated three despite not recording a base hit.

Few things went right in Wednesday's homestand as the Vikings earned wins of 11-3 and 6-5 at Parker Faller Field. Big Bend chased starter Jacob Troast early on, scoring seven runs in the first three innings. Troast allowed seven hits and six earned runs over two innings, and five relievers did their part to slow down the Viks' potent attack. At the plate, Densley finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and Walker went 2-for-5 as YVC was outhit 19-10.

The Yaks held a 5-2 lead heading into the ninth inning of game two, but Big Bend scored four to take the lead and then neutralized the YVC lineup to complete the sweep. Gage Reeser hit a solo home run, Will Weber had a two-run single and Fillmore had an RBI base knock to help the Yaks build a lead for starter Andre Cephers, who allowed four hits and two earned runs while striking out four over six innings of work. Relievers Gus Musial and Walker were unable to stanch the bleeding in the final three frames, and the offense couldn't respond in the bottom half of the ninth, resulting in back-to-back losses for the first time since late February.

Currently all alone in second place in the NWAC East, YVC will visit Columbia Basin for two on Wednesday, followed by a home doubleheader against the Hawks on Saturday.