Rain cannot dampen spirits, Raptors’ bats in season-opening win over Walla Walla

RIDGEFIELD – Will Chambers could only remember one or two other rainy nights in his two previous seasons playing for the Ridgefield Raptors.

But that memory did not calm the worries of some of his teammates who hail from warmer regions.

“A lot of the guys were going ‘man, is it like this every day?’ ” Chambers said after the Raptors’ drizzly opener to their West Coast League schedule on Friday night. “And I said ‘No. Usually the winds pushes hard to right (field), not left, and usually we have sun and clear skies.’ I think it was a new experience for a lot of guys.”

The Raptors did not let the wet weather dampen their hitting as Ridgefield pounded out 17 hits and three home runs in a 16-1 rout of the Walla Walla Sweets.

Chambers belted a three-run homer and Mikey Kane and Jacob Sharp added two-run blasts.

“It was a great night,” Chambers said. “I think that’s something about Ridgefield. It’s a lot due to the management and the coaches. Every year when we come in, it seems like everyone is kind of a family right away, just because of the way they treat us. So it makes it really easy to start in a league where it’s important to get a good start if you want to win it.”

Now Chambers hopes the Raptors can keep things going on Saturday, although Mother Nature might have even more rain coming this weekend.

“Sounds like we’re going to get a lot tomorrow,” he said. “Hopefully, we can play that game, and if not, we’ll play two on Sunday. It’s an Ernie Banks kind of feel. I’m cool with playing two any time we can.”

Three moments

Newcomer Safea Mauai (University of Hawaii) made an instant impact when he delivered a bases-clearing double in his first at-bat to put the Raptors up 3-0 early.

After drawing walks his first two times to the plate, Chambers (Dixie State) finally got a fastball to hit on a 3-2 count in the fourth, drilling a three-run homer to right that put Ridgefield up 8-0.

Mikey Kane (USC) hit an impressive two-run home run to dead center in the sixth.

Three players

Safea Mauai went 3 for 4 with a double, two walks and three RBI.

Mikey Kane went 2 for 4 with four runs, a home run, two RBI and two walks.

Starting pitcher Ben Hart (Dixie State) struck out six and allowed just three hits in five scoreless innings of work.

Three numbers

Six – The number of innings (out of eight) the Raptors scored at least one run.

Two – Trent Prokes (Modesto JC) had two hits, scored two runs and stole two bases.

Four – The number of Clark County High School products on the current Raptors roster – Riley McCarthy (Mountain View), Nick Laurenza (Fort Vancouver), Sam Boyle and Sawyer Parkin (Columbia River).

RAPTORS 16, WALLA WALLA 1

Walla     000         000         000—1  6              2

Ridge.   310         403         12x—16                17           1

Walla Walla

Pitching — Andrew Baughn 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 K, 3 BB, loss; Ben Ortiz 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 K, 0 BB; Hayden Thompson 2.2 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 K, 5 BB; Tyler Hoeft 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 K, 4 BB. Highlights — Cooper Cross 1-4, 2B, RBI; Leo Rivera 1-2, BB; Garrett Runyon 1-4; Joey Craig 2-3, 2B; William Fuenning 1-2, 2B.

Ridgefield

Pitching — Ben Hart 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 6 K, 1 BB, win; Michael Lozano 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, 1 BB; Harrison Howell 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 2 BB; Chandler De Jong 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, BB.  Highlights — Trent Prokes 2-4, 2 R, 2 SB; Mikey Kane 2-4, 4 R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB; Jacob Sharp 2-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB; Will Chambers 1-3, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB; Riley McCarthy 0-4, 2 R, 2 BB; Safea Mauai 3-4, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB; Doyle Kane 2-5, R, RBI; Stephen Espinoza 0-3, 2 R, 2 BB; Nate Kirkpatrick 1-4, 2 RBI, BB; Nick Laurenza BB, R.