Union-Bulletin

WALLA WALLA - Tuesday's game at Borleske Field was not one for the hitting - or pitching, or fielding - purist.

Both DeSales and Burbank were playing their first games back from spring break and it showed.

The teams combined for 15 walks, four hit batters and seven errors in the non-league single game, but the Irish came out on the winning end of a 16-6, mercy-rule victory.

The game, which was originally scheduled for Ray Lane Field, lasted six innings.

The Irish outhit the Coyotes 13-5, including a trio of doubles from Tim Caudill, Travis Haen and Cam Richman.

"I thought we swung the bat alright, but our defense was a little bit sloppy today," Irish coach Kim Cox said. "We're just coming off spring break and with the weird weather we've been having we haven't had as much time working on our defense.

"I didn't think our pitchers located very well either," Cox continued. "Just so-so, but not up to standard."

Burbank snuck a run across in the top of the second inning to draw first blood, but the Irish answered with six runs in the bottom of the inning.

Hits from Logan Hoeft and Darryl Galloway started the Irish run and Burbank starting pitcher Nathan Roberts walked four consecutive batters to give the Irish a 3-1 advantage and load the bases. Tim Caudill hit a 2-2 double to clear the bags, chase Roberts from the mound and build a 6-1 Irish advantage.

DeSales scored three more runs in the third after an error on a Joe Duehn bunt allowed Travis Haen and Kyler Pommerening to cross home. Spencer Cordeiro sliced a line drive between first and second to score Duehn.

The Coyotes weren't content to let the Irish cruise to an easy win however, and a pair of hits, walks and an error later, were back in the game, down 9-4 after the top of the fourth.

Haen singled to score a pair of runs for the Irish in the bottom of the fourth in response.

The Irish outscored Burbank 3-2 in the fifth thanks to a lead-off double from Richman, who ended up scoring on a wild pitch, and another hit from Haen, this time a double into right-centerfield.

Richman relieved Cordeiro on the mound in the top of the sixth and gave up a walk and a hit, but escaped the inning scoreless to maintain a 14-6 DeSales lead heading into the bottom of the inning.

Richman led off the Irish sixth with a walk. Galloway reached base on defensive indifference, and Pommerening walked to load the bases for Haen. Haen, who was 3-for-4 at the plate on the afternoon, hit a hard chopper to short that was mishandled to score a run, leaving the bases full for Duehn and pushing the Irish lead to 15-6. Duehn battled to a full count before recording a walk-off walk to end the game.

"I thought Travis swung the bat great all day long," Cox said of Haen. "He's a real hard worker. He loves the game and he spends a lot of time trying to get good at it, so it's nice to see him get rewarded and have a good day."

The Irish are 5-0 and host St. John-Endicott/Washtucna Saturday at 1 p.m.

DeSales 16, Burbank 6

Burbank 010 320 - 6 5 4

DeSales 063 232 - 16 13 3

Roberts, Bertsch (2), Wattenberger (5), Da. Percifield (6) and Kottwittz; Hoeft, Cordeiro (4), Richman (6) and Haen.

HR - none.

Hits- Burbank: Da. Percifield, Gamache, Roberts, Kottwitz, De. Percifield, Dexter 2; DeS: Haen 3, Duehn, Cordeiro, Caudill, Richman, Hoeft, Josifek 2, Galloway, Pommerening 2.