The Yakima Valley baseball team refused to go down without a fight on Saturday at home against league-leading Columbia Basin. After dropping the first three games of the series, the Yaks found a way in the bottom of the ninth, scoring two runs to escape with an 8-7 victory. Trailing 7-6, Trayson Kostial scored Jaden Estrada with an RBI double and then Jackson Upton brought home Kostial with a single to center to secure the win for YVC.

Jay O'Neill had a big game at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three-run home run, an RBI double and two runs scored. Garren Gooler went 2-for-5 with an RBI double, Upton added another RBI single, and Gage Reeser went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Estrada went 2-for-2 with two runs scored as the Yaks piled up 14 hits in support of five pitchers.

Diego Carrillo allowed four runs and four hits in two innings, Jacob Figarelle gave up two runs and two hits in one inning, and Oliver Wilday threw four solid innings, allowing only three hits and a run. Tyler Bono got three outs in the eighth and Gus Musial struck out the side in the ninth to give the Yaks a chance to come back.

The Hawks had too much firepower in game one, scoring four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to hand YVC an 8-3 defeat. The Yaks grabbed a 3-2 lead in the fourth on a two-RBI double by Reeser, but that all the offense they could muster. O'Neill, Kostial and Kasey Newton each had two hits and Newton scored on a passed ball in the first. Starter Austin Dillon kept the Yaks in the game until the sixth, but he allowed six earned runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 to take the loss. Dillon struck out eight, while Marcus Olson allowed three hits and two runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Musial closed out the game with two scoreless innings.

The first two games of the series last Wednesday weren't nearly as eventful for the Yaks, who fell 14-1 and 5-1. The Hawks scored four in the first inning of game one, two in the second and six in the third on the way to closing out YVC in seven innings. Reeser provided the only Yaks' only run with an RBI single in the fifth. Starter Barrett Froehler took the loss after allowing 13 hits and 12 runs, and Ean Bedsaul pitched the final three frames, giving up two runs and two hits while striking out five.

The Hawks got to YVC starter Luke Dowdy for three runs in the third and scored one more in both the fourth and sixth. Dowdy allowed four earned runs and 10 hits, striking out three, while Roanan Cason pitched the final three frames, striking out three and not allowing a run.

Now 9-7 in the NWAC East (18-18 overall), the Yaks will return to action Wednesday at home against Big Bend, followed by a trip to the Vikings on Saturday.