The Springfield Drifters recently returned from their first of two week-long road trips of the season after visiting Ridgefield and Marion.
On this trip, the Drifters finished 0-3 against the Raptors and 2-1 vs. the Berries.
Despite the overall finish of 2-4, Springfield played hard in all six games. The first game against Ridgefield on Tuesday night came down to the wire, with the Raptors scoring a walk-off run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
As if to add salt to the wound, later in game three of this series on Thursday, Ridgefield won in walk-off fashion again, yet this time it was in extra innings.
Fortunately for Springfield, its luck turned around quickly as its next two games were back-to-back victories against the Berries. The Drifters sailed to a 3-1 win on Friday courtesy of Preston Armstrong and Logan Honma, each notching an RBI in the 11th inning.
Saturday’s win required fewer innings as Springfield was able to score three runs in the fifth inning for a 4-1 victory.
The “big” innings
Oftentimes, for the Drifters, these single-inning bursts of runs are the difference.
In all but one of Springfield’s regulation wins this season, it’s had at least one inning in which it scored 3 or more runs. The lone exception was during a seven-inning game against Cowlitz on the back half of a doubleheader.
Although the Drifters ended this road trip on a sour note, losing to the Berries 9-8, the road trip gave the team much-needed experience. Before this trip, the Drifters had only played outside of Hamlin seven times as opposed to their 15 home games.
After a close series with the Raptors in Ridgefield, Springfield hosts them coming off their one-day rest on Monday.
Driving attendance
The Drifters have seen some of the largest single-game home crowds this season in their four-year history.
At a glance
A look at Drifters’ attendance through the years:
Year Games Total Avg.
2022 26 8,050 310
2023 27 6,791 252
2024 27 7,164 265
2025 11 2,488 226
Source: westcoastleague.com
The numbers are highlighted by crowds of more than 400 for Father’s Day weekend games and more than 900 for the team’s first fireworks show June 14.
An improved record on the field, fan experiences, and game promotions organized by the team have made a difference, team officials said.
It’s likely that average will continue to go up as the Drifters host their second fireworks show of the season on Thursday, immediately after their game against Ridgefield.
Seth Thompson covers the Drifters for The Chronicle.
