Scarlett Mendez, 6, right, and her brother Julian, 9, play a game between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Julian Mendez, 9, left, and his sister Scarlett Mendez, 6, high-five mascot Scott T. Pippin at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Tyler Scheuer waves at the crowd after balancing an ironing board between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Gustavo Delgado, 5, runs the bases between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Diego Prado, 13, left, and Max Giles, 12, bob for apples between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Scott T. Pippin carries apples into the Yakima County Stadium for the bobbing for apples activity between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, in Yakima, Wash.
Scarlett Mendez, 6, right, and her brother Julian, 9, run to high-five Scott T. Pippin after playing "dizzy bat" between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Scarlett Mendez, 6, right, and her brother Julian, 9, play a game between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Tyler Scheuer waves at the crowd after balancing an ironing board between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Scott T. Pippin carries apples into the Yakima County Stadium for the bobbing for apples activity between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, in Yakima, Wash.
You know the words when prompted to sing during the seventh-inning stretch at a baseball game:
“Take me out to the ball game / Take me out with the crowd. ...”
Baseball offers several chances to entertain the masses between innings as teams rest and regroup while fans from the bleachers test their competitive spirit for prizes and and bragging rights.
Sydney Copstead is the baseball operations intern for office staff with the Yakima Valley Pippins, part of the West Coast League, a summer collegiate wood-bat league in the Pacific Northwest.
Julian Mendez, 9, left, and his sister Scarlett Mendez, 6, high-five mascot Scott T. Pippin at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Before a pitch is even thrown, Copstead has chosen fans as they walk through the gates who are willing to compete on the field. Friends, siblings and co-workers are asked at random, with little to no reasoning behind Copstead’s methods.
“I stand at the front gate, and I try to get kids or adults to sign up for the off-field games. Then throughout the game, of course I’m running those games, making sure the kids are at the right place at the right time,” said Copstead.
Height and age are the only factors.
Bobbing for apples and the dizzy bat race require a certain height because equipment for those games is so tall. Younger children are more entertaining to watch as they scramble from first base to third, trying to beat Scott T., the Pippins mascot. The dice roll game is sponsored by Legends Casino, so that participant must be at least 18.
Thirsty Thursdays are a little different. Copstead looks for adults for most of the games since adults are out looking for a fun night and cheap drinks.
Diego Prado, 13, left, and Max Giles, 12, bob for apples between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
On Monday night, July 11, 2022 , friends Max Giles, 12, and Diego Prado, 13, both of Yakima, bobbed for apples in front of the Kamloops NorthPaws dugout and fans of the Pippins.
Though from British Columbia, NorthPaws players could be heard cheering for the boys, as Diego dunked his whole head into the vat of water and Max was timid, barely getting his face fully wet.
Diego’s hat got in the way, though, so, with his hands still behind his back, he flung his hat off so quickly it appeared as if he produced an apple in the same move. The crowd and players roared.
“I just pressed the apples against the bottom of the container, and it was easy to bite them,” said Diego, who beat Max, 6-0.
Though he lost, Max said it was fun to compete against his friend and he would do it again if given the chance.
Two contestants place their foreheads on one end of a bat, each expected to spin 10 times around, and then sprint toward the hand of the mascot and try to touch it before the other.
“I like the dizzy bat race. It’s just funny because, like, 10 spins are a lot more than you think they are. Then you’re, like, ‘Oh god! I’m so dizzy!’” Copstead said.
“Also, because both win a prize no matter what. I like that because everyone gets excited for prizes. Plus, someone always falls. It’s so funny to see. And players love it.”
Siblings Scarlett Mendez, 6, and Julian Mendez, 9, of Yakima, were all smiles Monday while practicing spinning with their foreheads on a bat. After giving them instructions, Copstead watched as they spun around, grinning and warning them to not get too dizzy before the competition.
As players ran to their dugouts, the siblings were led to a spot on the third base line, no sign of nerves about racing in front of a crowd.
Scott T. Pippin stood several yards ahead of the siblings, watching as they spun around the bats. His hands were extended, ready for the children to run at him.
As each Mendez hit 10 rotations, Scarlett and Julian both had a gleam in their eye, giggling and running paths that meandered toward the mascot.
Scarlett still clutched the bat and dragged it behind her.
“I really ran with the bat, I forgot to let go of it,” she said.
Julian won. He picked a hat as his prize and his sister received a water bottle.
Scarlett Mendez, 6, right, and her brother Julian, 9, run to high-five Scott T. Pippin after playing "dizzy bat" between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
It’s as simple as rolling dice. And in this game of chance, contestants are trying to hit a certain number to win vouchers to Legends Casino in Toppenish.
Atone Souza rolled a six on his first toss. Another six and he’d win $500 for use at the casino. The second die teetered between six and four after Souza flung it, and the Pippins dugout was gasping as they watched it come to a stop. On the four.
It was so close that the home team booed the outcome.
Gustavo Delgado, 5, runs the bases between innings at a Yakima Valley Pippins game Monday, July 11, 2022, at the Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
One of the most difficult fan participation contests is the chip shot, where a contender uses a kid’s plastic golf club to hit a whiffle ball into one of three hula hoops. They need to hit as many as they can in a certain amount of time.
The hula hoops are in front of the Pippins dugout, and players have been known to “accidentally” kick a ball into a hula hoop to help the overall score.
Because, as the song says: “If they don’t win, it’s a shame.”
Reach Sara Shields at sshields@yakimaherald.com.
Remaining 2022 home games for the Yakima Valley Pippins:
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