The Black Bears are starting an eight-game homestand, the first series being this weekend versus the Springfield Drifters. Cowlitz took two of three against the Drifters at the Hamlin Sports Complex on June 20-22, winning the Friday night game and splitting the Sunday doubleheader after a Saturday rainout.
This is the Black Bears’ first weekend series at home since May 30-June 1, where the Bears took on the Portland Pickles to start the season. Their second series against the Pickles is currently going on at Walker Stadium, where Portland has won the first two games of the series.
Game one was a back-and-forth affair, where both teams kept it close throughout. The Black Bears took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 8th after a Finnegan Stewart RBI single. The Pickles took the lead back in the bottom half with the second of two Tony Otis solo home runs and a Joey Wright RBI single, and kept that lead to win 6-5.
Game two was all Portland, as Dylan Smith pitched a perfect four innings before the bullpen threw four scoreless innings to shut out the Black Bears, only giving up two hits as the only baserunners. The Black Bears also committed four errors and gave up ten runs for the fifth time in seven games.
Gavin Poffenroth leads the team in AVG (.351), runs (14), hits (26), doubles (6) and HBP (5). Finnegan Stewart had a hit in seven straight games before yesterday and has driven in 14, which leads Cowlitz. Dylan Henson has a 3.32 ERA in 19 IP, while Ryan Falke has a 1.84 ERA in 14.2 IP out of the bullpen.
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Since the last series against the Bears, Springfield has gone 4-4, getting swept by Ridgefield at the RORC, winning two of three against the Marion Berries and has already won the second series against Ridgefield at home. The Drifters are going for the sweep tonight in game three.
Springfield took game one 6-1 with three hits each from Cesar Chavez and Cooper Mullens. Game two was closer, heading into extra innings as Springfield won on a walk-off single by Sam Weber.
The big three on the offensive side are Mullens, Nolan Miller and Isaiah Ibarra. All three lead the team in hits and are the only players with a .300 AVG or higher while playing in at least 15 games. Mullens leads the team in runs (20), RBI (15), walks (17) and strikeouts (25). Michael Klein has a 2.18 ERA in 20.2 IP, while Jack Klee and Caden Richardson are the only bullpen arms with at least 14 IP and an ERA under 4.
After this series, the Bears will stay at home and host the Walla Walla Sweets in a three-game series. Walla Walla took two of three against Cowlitz on June 13-15 at Borleske Stadium. The Drifters head home for a six-game homestand against the Yakima Valley Pippins and the Marion Berries before the All-Star Break.
The Drifters-Black Bears series begins on Friday at 1:05 p.m. at David Story Field. Game two on Saturday will be at 6:35 and Sunday’s finale will also begin at 1:05 p.m. For more information about upcoming games, stats, or tickets, follow us on social media: X (Twitter) (@CowlitzBBears), Facebook, and Instagram (@cowlitzblackbears). To watch, listen live, or view the 2025 promotional schedule, go to our website, cowlitzblackbears.com.