A three-run first inning spelled doom for the Walla Walla Bruins Sunday, July 11, in the championship game of their annual Class AA American Legion baseball tournament at Walla Walla Community College’s Tausick Way diamond.

La Grande’s Legacy Legends built a 7-2 lead after four innings, then withstood a late Walla Walla charge for a 7-5 victory.

“We dug ourselves into a hole and had to find a way to dig out of it,” Walla Walla coach Jason Parsons said.

The Bruins did just that when they tallied a pair of runs in the second inning after stranding a runner at third base in the first. Patrick Hubbard delivered the first run of inning two with a double and later scored on a wild pitch.

Walla Walla scored three more times in the sixth inning. Two of the runs crossed the plate on singles by Drew Coleman and Cohen Ocanaz. Noah Braunel added an RBI walk to end the game’s scoring.

The Bruins had ample opportunities to put more runs on the board during the course of the game, but were unable to do so. They stranded two runners in the fourth and seventh innings, and left the bases loaded in frames five and six.

“We just completed a seven-inning game and stranded 12 runners,” Parsons said. “You’re not going to win that way — plain and simple.”

Walla Walla travels to Selah Tuesday to oppose the Yakima Valley Peppers.