Five AppleSox Alums Crack 2025 MLB Opening Day Rosters

The 2025 MLB season begins today and five former AppleSox players are on Opening Day rosters. Griffin Canning, Alek Jacob, Ryan Kreidler, Drew Rasmussen and Michael Toglia will all begin the new season with their major-league ballclub. 

Canning, a 2020 Gold Glove winner and 2014 AppleSox alum, joins the New York Mets after previously spending five seasons pitching for the Los Angeles Angels. 

Jacob, a right-handed pitcher for the 2017 AppleSox, cracks an MLB Opening Day roster for the first time. He has recorded a 2.04 ERA over 10 outings in the previous two seasons for the San Diego Padres.

Kreidler, a 2016 AppleSox alum, also is on an MLB Opening Day roster for the first time. The Detroit Tigers outfielder has appeared in 72 games over the last three seasons.

Rasmussen, a righty with the Sox in 2014, has a 2.95 ERA over five MLB seasons and is coming off posting a 2.83 ERA in 16 games with the Tampa Bay Rays last season. 

Toglia, the 2016 WCL MVP, broke through with a 25-homer campaign for the Colorado Rockies in 2024 and slugged a team-high five bombs this spring. 

Twenty-two former players have made it to MLB since the AppleSox began play in 2000. To learn more about former players appearing in the major leagues, please visit applesox.com/applesox-in-the-pros

The AppleSox open up their 25th season May 30 when they face the Yakima Valley Pippins at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The 2025 season consists of 30 home games and concludes in mid-August. Ticket packages, including season tickets for as low as $150 and 10-game flex packs for $65, are available for purchase at applesox.com/season-tickets

About The AppleSox: The Wenatchee AppleSox are a summer collegiate baseball team in the West Coast League. All players on the AppleSox must have college eligibility and retain their amateur status. Wenatchee is a co-founding member of the WCL and has won five WCL championships, second-most in league history. The AppleSox have a storied history of success with six league championships (one in the Pacific International League), nine division championships and 16 playoff appearances. The 2024 AppleSox came an out away from winning the WCL Championship and qualified for the postseason for the third straight season. Wenatchee won the North Division’s first half and second half and head coach Mitch Darlington earned WCL co-Coach of the Year.

AppleSox Add Six Players From California Schools

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Wednesday the addition of six players to the 2025 roster. Davis D’Errico, Jehee Lee, Max Mendes, Kyle Panganiban, Michael Podstreleny and Masen Swan will join this summer's team. This week’s roster additions come from UC Irvine, Cal State Northridge and UC Santa Barbara.

D’Errico is a freshman outfielder at UC Irvine looking to add to his resume with the AppleSox this summer. He was a four-year letterwinner at Los Alamitos High School in California and also played three years of football. Perfect Game ranked D’Errico as the 76th-best outfielder and the 392nd prospect in California. 

Lee is a sophomore at Cal State Northridge who catches and plays the outfield. He appeared in two games as a freshman but got extended work with the Humboldt Crabs in the Pacific Empire League last summer. Lee batted .239 with six doubles in 32 games and recorded eight multi-hit efforts. 

The San Diego native was a two-time all-league honoree at Rancho Bernardo High School. Lee batted .291 over his three-year varsity career and saved his best for last with a .291 batting average, eight doubles and four home runs in 32 games as a senior in 2023.

Mendes is a right-handed pitcher in his freshman year at Cal State Northridge. He graduated from San Joaquin Memorial High School last spring after earning CMAC Player of the Year and All-League First Team in 2024. The Fresno, Calif. native recorded a 1.97 ERA with 107 strikeouts and three complete games as a senior, including one perfect game. Mendes also won a league title as a freshman in 2021. 

Panganiban is a redshirt freshman at Cal State Northridge who is an infielder and an outfielder. The Cerritos, Calif. Native graduated from Gahr High School in 2023 and was a two-time first-team all-league honoree in addition to being 2023 Male Athlete of the Year as well as a Scholar Athlete from 2021-23.

Podstreleny is a freshman catcher at UC Irvine looking to make his season debut with the Anteaters. The three-year letterwinner at Cathedral Catholic High School in California batted .291 in his prep career, including .346 in 29 games as a senior in 2024. Podstreleny hit three home runs and drove in 22 runs while also recording a .454 on-base percentage. 

Swan is a redshirt freshman left-handed pitcher at UC Santa Barbara. He posted a 2.75 ERA in three years of varsity baseball at Martin Luther King High School and earned first team all-district honors in 2022 and 2023. After a 2.84 ERA in 11 appearances as a junior, Swan out-did himself with a 2.65 ERA in 11 games as a senior. He racked up 91 strikeouts over 81.1 innings while only walking 41 hitters.

The AppleSox open up their 25th season May 30 when they face the Yakima Valley Pippins at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The 2025 season consists of 30 home games and concludes in mid-August. Ticket packages, including season tickets for as low as $150 and 10-game flex packs for $65, are available for purchase at applesox.com/season-tickets

AppleSox Add Four Players From Grand Canyon

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of four players to the 2025 roster. Alec Ammerman, Ross Clark, Gunnar Penzkover and Jake Sanko will join this summer's team. All of them come from Grand Canyon University, whom the AppleSox had three players from last season in Garrett Ahern, Carson Ohland and Cannon Peery.

Ammerman will return to his home state to pitch this summer after his freshman year at Grand Canyon. He helped Richland High School earn the 2024 4A State Championship while also being part of a 28-0 season. The right-handed pitcher earned Mid-Columbia Conference Pitcher of the Year and all-conference first team honors as a senior while also garnering 4A state honors. 

The Richland native comes to the AppleSox with a connection to the Apple Capital of the World already as his father played baseball at Wenatchee Valley College from 1996-97 before going on to play at Central Washington. 

Clark is a freshman right-handed pitcher at Grand Canyon. He graduated from Orange Lutheran High School last spring after a decorated career. Clark earned All-California Interscholastic Federation honors, All-Orange County honors, First-Team Trinity League honors, Trinity League Pitcher of the Year and CIF State Champion. He went 9-0 with a 1.10 ERA, 43 strikeouts and 10 walks in 44.22 innings as a senior to conclude a three-year prep career with a 1.78 ERA in 86.2 innings. 

Penzkover is a freshman at Grand Canyon who is a right-handed pitcher and an outfielder. He hit over .400 in all four seasons at Northwest Christian High School and won back-to-back championships from 2022-23. The Phoenix native was also a back-to-back winner of his region’s Player of the Year from 2023-24 following earning First Team All-Region in 2021 and then Second Team All-Region in 2022. 

Sanko is a freshman infielder at Grand Canyon who will come to the AppleSox after his first taste of college baseball this spring. The Phoenix native hit .347 over three varsity baseball seasons at Sandra Day O’Connor High School, including batting .344 in 29 games in 2024 to earn First Team All-State honors and reached the 6A State Championship Game. Sanko also hit .316 with seven home runs as a junior the year before to garner Second Team All-State honors.

The AppleSox open up their 25th season May 30 when they face the Yakima Valley Pippins at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The 2025 season consists of 30 home games and concludes in mid-August. Ticket packages, including season tickets for as low as $150 and 10-game flex packs for $65, are available for purchase at applesox.com/season-tickets

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast as head coach Mitch Darlington previews this summer’s roster. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Darlington Reveals First Nine Members of 2025 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Wednesday the addition of the first nine members of the 2025 roster, the 25th in franchise history. Brady Bean, Carson Boesel, Braiden Boyd, Evan Cloyd, Jack Haferkamp, Kanoa Morisaki, Karsten Sweum, Joe Thornton and Reese Vassar return to Wenatchee after appearing on last summer’s roster for the 2024 WCL North Division Champions.

Bean comes back to the AppleSox on a 10-game contract after appearing in 14 regular-season games and two postseason contests. He made 11 starts at second base after a strong start to the summer with the Medicine Hat Mavericks of the Western Canadian Baseball League. 

The Kennewick native is a junior at Portland, looking to build off a strong sophomore season when he slashed .321/.400/.511 with five home runs and 32 RBI in 38 games. Bean began his collegiate career at Saint Martin’s in 2022, where he batted .384 with 10 doubles and 22 RBI in 42 games. 

Boesel shined out of the back of the bullpen, recording a 2.59 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 17.1 innings in 10 relief outings last summer. He tossed two-or-more innings five times, including in each of his first three outings of the summer. 

The Malott native is a sophomore at Spokane Falls and looking to make a decision on a four-year university soon. Boesel was 5-1 with a 5.97 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 28.2 innings in 16 relief appearances in 2024 but has started both of the games that he’s pitching in this spring. His fastball topped at 91 miles per hour last summer but was clocked at 96 miles per hour in December. 

Boyd will pitch for a fourth straight summer with the AppleSox in 2025. He got his first taste of college baseball by pitching in a non-league for Wenatchee in 2022 prior to his senior year at Chelan High School and went on to lead the AppleSox in appearances (13) last summer. Boyd fired the second-most innings (33.2) of any Wenatchee pitcher and was fourth in strikeouts (21). The southpaw tied for the AppleSox’ team lead with three saves in 2023 and recorded a 3.57 ERA in nine games. 

The Chelan native redshirted at Washington State in 2024 and transferred to Spokane Falls this spring. Boyd earned Caribou Trail League First Team honors from 2022-23 and was CTL Player of the Year in 2022. He helped lead the Goats to fourth place at the 1A State Tournament in 2022. Boyd has 12 strikeouts to just four walks and a 2.89 ERA over his first 9.1 innings of the 2025 season.

Cloyd returns for his second season with the AppleSox after leading the team with 21 starts at first base last season. He joined the AppleSox in late June and reached base safely in each of the first 25 games that he started. Cloyd slashed .343/.466/.552 in July and finished the season tied for fifth on the team in RBI (23) and seventh in walks (18). 

The Bakersfield, Calif. native is in his first season at Cal State Bakersfield after playing two seasons at Cal Poly. Cloyd transferred after combining to hit .243 with four home runs and 26 RBI with the Mustangs from 2023-24. He is a WCL veteran with a combined 93 regular-season games over the last three summers, previously suiting up for the Portland Pickles from 2022-23.

Haferkamp only appeared in five games in league play with only three starts in that time but made the most of an opportunity July 21 when he drove in three runs, including delivering a pinch-hit go-ahead 2-RBI double in an eventual 10-8 victory vs. Yakima Valley. Haferkamp also hit a home run in non-league play against the CCL Showcase team July 14.

The Carlsbad, Calif. Native is a freshman at UC Santa Barbara after a highly-acclaimed prep career. Haferkamp graduated from Santa Fe Christian High School last spring and ended with a bang, slashing .360/.525/.719 with 17 extra-base hits in 31 games as a senior. He played in the 2023 Dick’s Sporting Goods Perfect Game All-American Classic at Chase Field in Arizona and appeared on SB Live’s 2024 California preseason high school baseball all-state team.

Perhaps the most versatile player in college baseball will lend his capabilities to the AppleSox again in 2025. Morisaki was an in-season signing at the start of July to help shore up the AppleSox’ shortstop void once Elijah Pelayo departed at the end of June after starting in each of the first 27 games of the season. Morisaki went on to make 10 starts at shortstop, seven at catcher and two relief appearances on the mound while also switch-hitting.

The Honolulu native is a sophomore at Cal State Bakersfield after appearing in 13 games a freshman in 2024. Morisaki graduated from Kaiser High School in 2023 and earned First Team All-State and district player of the year honors as a senior.

Sweum displayed impressive swing-and-miss stuff in 2024, punching out 12 hitters in 12.2 innings over six outings. He started three of those games, including firing four scoreless innings at Bend in the final game of the regular season. Sweum struck out three and only allowed two hits in that game. 

The Snohomish native is in his freshman campaign at Gonzaga. He graduated from Glacier Park High School last spring and earned 2024 First Team All-WESCO 4A pitcher and utility player honors as well as co-MVP. Sweum was also a 2022-23 Northwest Scout Games selection and a 2023 Area Code selection by the Kansas City Royals.

Thornton joined the AppleSox late in 2024 and pitched in two regular-season games. He battled an arm injury in between outings on July 21 and Aug. 7 but recovered to be available for the postseason. Thornton did not allow any runs in two different scoreless outings of two innings apiece. 

The Tonasket native redshirted at Spokane Falls last spring but has shined as a two-way player this spring. He only pitched for the AppleSox last summer but is hitting .263 through 12 games while not allowing any runs in his first two games on the bump.

After being teammates with his older brother last season, Reese will now be on a team that Quincy coaches. Vassar joined the team in early August and started two games at shortstop. His older brother is the AppleSox’ all-time leader in strikeouts (125) and innings (131.2) and is about to begin his first season as the team’s pitching coach. 

The Brewster native played in 42 games as a freshman at Spokane Falls last spring. Vassar recorded a .348 on-base percentage and drove in 20 runs. He slashed .472/.597/.584 in 18 games as a senior at Brewster High School in 2023.

The AppleSox open up their 25th season May 30 when they face the Yakima Valley Pippins at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The 2025 season consists of 30 home games and concludes in mid-August. Ticket packages, including season tickets for as low as $150 and 10-game flex packs for $65, are available for purchase at applesox.com/season-tickets

Sixty-Five AppleSox Alums Appear on 2025 NCAA Division-I Opening Day Rosters

The 2025 NCAA Division-I baseball season begins today and 65 former Wenatchee AppleSox players will be in action.

Former AppleSox players competing in NCAA Division-I baseball date as far back as having played in Wenatchee in 2021 (eight players; Enzo Apodaca, Tino Bethancourt, Jack DeDonato, Dakota Duffalo, AJ Guerrero, Jacob Hughes, Zach Toglia, Jackson Van De Brake). Thirty-three of the 65 players played for the 2024 AppleSox, who won the North Division and finished as West Coast League runners-up. Fifty-nine of the 65 players have been coached by Mitch Darlington, who will begin his fourth season with the AppleSox in 2025 after winning a share of the 2024 WCL Head Coach of the Year honor. 

Perhaps no former AppleSox player in college baseball will attract more attention this season than Aiva Arquette, a shortstop on the 2022 AppleSox. Arquette, a junior at Oregon State, has racked up a plethora of preseason honors that include being named a 2025 Perfect Game College Preseason All-American First Team Infielder, a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason All-American, MLB Pipeline’s seventh-best 2025 MLB Draft prospect and a 2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List member. 

Arquette was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 18th round of the 2022 MLB Draft in the midst of a standout summer with the AppleSox. He hit .335 in 39 games and collected a team-high 39 RBI, a figure that also put him tied for the fourth-most in the WCL. The Kailua, Hawaii native spent two seasons at Washington before transferring to Oregon State last fall. He made the All-Pac-12 Team and Pac-12 All Defense Team as a sophomore and hit .325 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI in 48 games.

Several AppleSox alums are playing in their fifth-year of eligibility this spring, thanks to waivers being granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Enzo Apodaca (2021-22) returns to Baylor after leading the Bears in batting average (.333), hits (70) and RIB (42) in 2024. Apodaca is the AppleSox’ all-time leader in career walks (64) and is tied for third in steals (21). Jackson Van De Brake (2021) will compete in his third year at North Carolina and look to lead the Tar Heels back to the NCAA Tournament for a seventh straight time.

The reigning WCL batting champion Aidan Dougherty joins this list after heading to UCONN following a dominant 2024 with Linn-Benton and then the AppleSox. Dougherty captured an NWAC Championship while also being named NWAC Tournament MVP, First Team All-NWAC and NWAC South Region MVP. He led the entire NWAC with a .371 batting average in 43 games before going on to lead the WCL in the same category with a .380 mark in 44 games. Dougherty also earned All-WCL First Team honors by swimming 21 bags, the third-most in AppleSox single-season history. 

Two other All-WCL recipients return to their Division-I universities in Max Hartman and Jonathan Fitz. Hartman is back at Washington State after earning All-WCL Second Team honors with the AppleSox last summer. He was a start-to-finish player with the AppleSox, appearing in a team-high 51 of a possible 54 games. Hartman also was a 2024 All-Star and tied Portland’s Tanner Griffith for the most runs in the WCL (51) while also tying for the fifth-most hits (64), the seventh-most at-bats (196) and the ninth-best on-base percentage (.440). Fitz led all AppleSox catchers with 22 starts before also starting all five postseason games. The incoming sophomore at San Diego tied for fifth on the team with 23 RBI and drew 21 walks, good for fourth-most. Including the postseason, Fitz hit .304 over his final 28 games. The 2024 WCL All-Star recorded six multi-hit games and a .982 fielding percentage.

The full list of AppleSox alums on NCAA Division-I rosters can be viewed below. 

AppleSox Main Office Closed 12/21 Through New Year's Day

AppleSox Main Office will be closed from Saturday, December 21st through Wednesday, January 1st in observance of the holiday season.

We will resume regular office hours on Thursday, January 2nd. During this time, our team will have limited availability. If you require immediate assistance, please feel free to reach out via email, and we will respond as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding, and we wish you a joyful holiday season!

AppleSox Release 2025 Schedule

The Wenatchee AppleSox unveiled their full schedule for the 2025 season, the 25th in franchise history, on Thursday, November 14.

Wenatchee opens the season against the Yakima Valley Pippins on May 30 at home in its only regular-season series against a South Division opponent. The AppleSox will play 30 home games and 27 road games during the 2025 season. 

Fireworks Night returns July 3 as the Redmond Dudes visit Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium for a third straight season in non-league play. The AppleSox’ other two non-league games are against the DubSea Fish Sticks June 17-18. A full promotional schedule will be released in the spring.

The AppleSox will face each of its seven North Division opponents at least six times via a three-game home set and three-game road series. Wenatchee shares a division with the Bellingham Bells, the Edmonton Riverhawks, the Kamloops NorthPaws, the Kelowna Falcons, the Nanaimo NightOwls, the Port Angeles Lefties and the Victoria HarbourCats. The AppleSox will get extra division play when they make two trips to Kelowna (July 4-6 and Aug. 4-6) and Nanaimo (June 6-8 and July 11-13) while hosting Kamloops twice (June 10-12 and July 8-10).

Wenatchee’s longest homestand is June 10-18, when it plays eight games in the Apple Capital of the World. The busy stretch begins with a three-game series against Kamloops, continues with three straight vs. Port Angeles, and concludes with the non-league two-game slate with DubSea.

The West Coast League All-Star Game returns for a second straight season on July 16, 2025. Stay tuned to westcoastleague.com to see what WCL team will be hosting it.  

All AppleSox home games will start at 6:35 p.m. with the exception of the Fireworks Night on July 3 (7:05) and all Sundays (5:35). Road game times are dependent on the hosting teams and will be announced at a later date. All games are live broadcast via video on westcoastleague.com/streaming and via radio on kcsyfm.com.

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 25th season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $150 for general admission bleacher seats, while reserved premium seating is $250. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Flex Packs for $65. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. Season tickets are also available at no cost to AppleSox fans if they host a player in 2024.  To purchase 2024 ticket packages, please visit applesox.com/season-tickets, call 509-665-6900, or email nikolas@applesox.com. 

Vassar Hired As Pitching Coach

The Wenatchee AppleSox have announced that the franchise’s all-time leader in strikeouts, Quincy Vassar, has been hired as the team’s pitching coach for the 2025 season. 

Vassar will join second-year coach Xander Orejudos as assistants on head coach Mitch Darlington’s staff. Darlington, the reigning co-WCL Head Coach of the Year, is entering his fourth campaign with Wenatchee. 

“I am thrilled to announce the addition of Quincy Vassar to the AppleSox coaching staff in 2025,” Darlington said. “Quincy’s passion for ApppleSox baseball, his ability to lead and his mind for the game will make him a huge addition to our staff. Quincy has cemented himself in AppleSox history as a player and I expect the same level of success to carry over for him as a coach.”

Vassar pitched each of the last three seasons for the AppleSox, logging a franchise-record 131.2 innings over 28 games. The southpaw posted a 3.90 ERA with a franchise-best 125 strikeouts. He tossed at least five innings in 17-of-25 starts.

The Brewster native also made three postseason appearances with the AppleSox, including two of the more impressive starts in recent AppleSox playoff history. He helped Wenatchee finish off a series sweep of Kamloops in 2022 with eight strikeouts and one unearned in seven innings in Game 2 of the North Division Series. Two years and one day later he shoved again in Game 2 of the North Division Series, this time tossing a complete game with eight strikeouts and one run vs. Victoria to keep the AppleSox’ season alive. 

“I’m very excited to be joining the coaching staff in Wenatchee,” Vassar said. “The AppleSox have been a big part of my baseball career and I am looking forward to helping athletes make it a part of their own story as the new pitching coach. I couldn’t be more proud to have played for Mitch and now have the chance to work with him and Xander to bring the next championship back to Wenatchee. AppleSox arm farm incoming Summer 2025.”

Vassar saved his best work for his final summer of eligibility with the AppleSox, earning All-WCL Second Team honors in 2024. His 2.92 ERA was the fourth-best among qualified WCL pitchers and his 49.1 innings were sixth-most. The graduate senior at Vanguard tossed two complete games, first with an eight-inning and four-strikeout effort June 29 at Bellingham followed by a nine-inning effort in the playoffs. Postseason included, Vassar tossed at least five innings in seven-of-10 starts. One of those three that he didn’t came when the 2024 WCL All-Star started on three days' rest for a beleaguered AppleSox pitching staff June 9. The Brewster native only allowed two runs over his final 18 innings of the regular season, spanning four games.

Vassar fills the spot of Mike Callia, who departs due to an expanded role at Lower Columbia College. Callia’s staff recorded a 3.35 team ERA in 2023, good for fifth-best in the WCL, en route to the team going 27-17. Five AppleSox pitchers earned All-WCL honors in 2023 and then two more were recognized in 2024 for the WCL runners-up. 

The 2025 AppleSox schedule will be released next month. It represents the 25th season in franchise history. Stay tuned to applesox.com and westcoastleague.com. Season tickets and other ticket packages can be purchased today at applesox.com/season-tickets.

Upgrades To Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium Underway

Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium will have a new look when the AppleSox take the field for their 25th season in June 2025.

Improvements got underway shortly after the AppleSox won the 2024 North Division title on Aug. 14 to redo the entire infield. The first and third base lines are now all turf in addition to home plate and the entire foul territory from the end of the third-base dugout to the end of the first-base dugout. The infield grass and dirt between first and third base has all been regraded and leveled. The dugouts will also receive new turf while fences are added in front of them to improve player safety. The sound system at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium will also be completely redone.

Special thanks to the state of Washington for approving a grant to support ballpark improvements in the West Coast League and minor league facilities in state. Washington State Minor League Capital budget Each of the other six Washington-based WCL teams (Bellingham, Cowlitz, Port Angeles, Ridgefield, Walla Walla, Yakima Valley) are receiving financial contributions for renovations.

The AppleSox would also like to thank Senator Brad Hawkins for helping to push and support the approval of this grant.

The AppleSox' 2025 schedule will be released in November. The 2024 AppleSox won their division for the first time since 2013.

Darlington Named 2024 WCL co-Coach Of The Year

Wenatchee AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington has earned a share of the 2024 West Coast League Coach of the Year honor.

Darlington and Portland’s Mark Magdaleno will share the award, marking the first time that two WCL head coaches both receive the honor since 2018.

The AppleSox skipper guided the club to the WCL Championship Game for the first time since 2013 and the club’s ninth division championship. Wenatchee went 35-19 before defeating Victoria in three games in the North Division Series and then Bellingham in the North Division Championship Game.

The Leavenworth native is the only AppleSox skipper to reach the postseason in each of his first three campaigns. Darlington became the only head coach of Wenatchee's six in franchise history to qualify for the postseason in his first year at the helm when he accomplished the feat in 2022. Darlington's 99 regular-season victories are second-most in AppleSox history and he guided the team to back-to-back 30-win seasons in 2023 and 2024, a feat achieved for the first time by the club since 2011-12.

In each of his three campaigns the AppleSox have broken their club record for walks drawn. This summer's club became the first to win the first half and lock up the first seed in the North Division since the two-half playoff format was adopted in 2016. The AppleSox have scored the most runs in the West Coast League since the start of 2022. Wenatchee led the WCL in runs (380) and batting average (.283) this summer.

This is the fifth time that an AppleSox skipper has won or earned a share of the WCL Coach of the Year honor and the first time in the last 11 seasons. Ed Knaggs won the award outright in 2005, 2010 and 2012 while sharing the honor with Corvallis’s Brooke Knight in 2009.

Five AppleSox Earn 2024 All-WCL Honors

Five members of the 2024 Wenatchee AppleSox received All-West Coast League honors in the league’s end-of-the-season recognition Wednesday.

Aidan Dougherty earned First Team All-WCL as outfielder while Max Hartman and Quincy Vassar earned Second Team honors as an outfielder and a starting pitcher, respectively. Evan Canfield and Jonathan Fitz received All-WCL Honorable Mention.

Dougherty led the WCL with a .380 average and five triples. He finished tied for the third-most hits, tied for the third-most RBI, scored the seventh-most runs (41) and tied for the seventh-most stolen bases (21). The incoming junior at UConn tied with Connor Spencer (2013) for the best AVG by a Sox player in a single season who played in a minimum of 40 games. He has the third-most steals by an AppleSox player in a single season and is tied for the third-most in an AppleSox career. Dougherty thrived with the bases loaded, going 8-for-11 with 22 RBI when batting with AppleSox at each base. He recorded two different five-hit games, marking the seventh and eighth times in the 24-season franchise history. Dougherty became the second AppleSox player to record five singles in a 5-for-6 summer debut June 1 vs. Port Angeles and then went 5-for-6 with a walkoff double in the 10th June 13 vs. Bellingham. The Snohomish native ended the summer on a 10-game hit streak July 26-August 8 and hit .487 over it with seven straight multi-hit games in the middle of it.

Hartman was an everyday regular for the AppleSox, appearing in a team-high 51 of a possible 54 games. He became the ninth player in franchise history to appear in at least 50 games. The incoming junior at Washington State opened the season with five consecutive multi-hit games, becoming the first AppleSox player to ever record at least two hits in each of his first five games of a season. The 2024 All-Star thrived with runners in scoring position (.361), against left-handed pitchers (.437) and at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium (.358). The St. Albert, Alberta native tied Portland’s Tanner Griffith for the most runs in the WCL (51) while also tying for the fifth-most hits (64), the seventh-most at-bats (196) and the ninth-best on-base percentage (.440).

Vassar became the AppleSox’ all-time leader in strikeouts (124) and innings (130.2) in his third summer with Wenatchee. His 2.92 ERA was the fourth-best among qualified WCL pitchers and his 49.1 innings were sixth-most. The graduate senior at Vanguard tossed two complete games, first with an eight-inning and four-strikeout effort June 29 at Bellingham followed by a nine-inning, eight-strikeout game against Victoria in Game 2 of the North Division Series. Postseason included, Vassar tossed at least five innings in seven-of-10 starts. One of those three that he didn’t came when the 2024 WCL All-Star started on three days rest for a beleaguered AppleSox pitching staff June 9. The Brewster native only allowed two runs over his final 18 innings of the regular season, spanning four games.

Canfield earned All-WCL Honorable Mention for a second straight summer after becoming the third pitcher in franchise history to reach 100 strikeouts. The 2024 WCL All-Star recorded a 2.40 ERA over eight games (five starts) and punched out 34 batters over 30 innings. The incoming junior allowed one unearned run and struck out eight over eight innings June 14 at Kamloops a week after punching out nine in five innings at Victoria. Canfield went on to toss seven shutout innings to earn the win in the North Division Championship Game vs. Bellingham. The Bothell native recorded a 0.69 ERA in five games (four starts) in June, punching out 31 over 26 innings.

Fitz led all AppleSox catchers with 22 starts before also starting all five postseason games. The incoming sophomore at San Diego tied for fifth on the team with 23 RBI and drew 21 walks, good for fourth-most. Including the postseason, Fitz hit .304 over his final 28 games. The 2024 WCL All-Star recorded six multi-hit games and a .982 fielding percentage. Fitz drove in 11 runs over six straight starts July 6-23 and posted seven multi-walk games, postseason included. The Convington, Kentucky native drew seven free passes over three straight games June 19-23.

Wenatchee’s five All-WCL honorees were third-most in the North Division behind Bellingham and Edmonton’s nine apiece. The AppleSox recorded the best record in the North Division in the first half and second. Wenatchee won the 2024 North Division Championship by defeating Bellingham Aug. 14 before falling to Portland in the WCL Championship Game two days later.

AppleSox Fall In Heartbreaking Fashion To Portland in WCL Championship

The Wenatchee AppleSox came an out away from winning their seventh league championship but fell to the Portland Pickles, 6-5, on Friday night at Walker Stadium.

Portland scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, both with two outs, to win its first WCL Championship. The Pickles were down to their final out with a runner at first when four straight hitters reached base to end the game. A two-out single the opposite kept the game alive and then Portland successfully attempted a double steal to put both men in scoring position. After an intentional walk to load up the bases, Diego Castellanos drew a free pass to tie the game. Connor Stewart hit a slow roller to short that was unable to be fielded and brought home the winning run.

Quincy Vassar shined in relief until that final frame, coming an out away from firing five scoreless innings five days after earning WCL Pitcher of the Week by tossing a complete game against Victoria in Game 2 of the North Division Series.

The AppleSox took a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth thanks to an opposite-field double by James Castagnola. He scored Max Hartman after a leadoff single up the middle and gave Wenatchee its first lead since the third inning.

The two teams traded runs over the first three innings. Portland cashed in on a bunt attempt first-base side in the bottom of the first to bring home a run from third to strike first. Jake Larson singled in Evan Cloyd after Cloyd led off the top of the second with a double halfway up the wall in center.

The AppleSox took the lead with a two-spot in the third thanks to two Pickles errors. Kanoa Morisaki walked and was sacrificed to start the inning before Cooper Whitton singled up the middle. Centerfielder Tony Otis misplayed the bouncing ball and it allowed Whitton to advance to third. He scored two batters later when Cloyd hit a sacrifice fly.

That lead would not make it to the fourth. Three straight singles to open up the bottom of the third scored two runs, followed by a stolen base and a throwing error helped bring across the go-ahead run with a one-out single.

Portland threatened in the sixth with runners at first and third with one out when a fly ball out to left was caught by Cam Hoiland and then he gunned down the runner trying to score from third.

The AppleSox finished just shy of a WCL title after earning their ninth division championship and first since 2013. Wenatchee shattered single-season offensive records for on-base percentage (.404), RBI (332), walks (312) and hit by pitches (82). The AppleSox won the first and second half titles for the first time in franchise history since the WCL established the two-half playoff format in 2016. Wenatchee recorded 35 wins, marking the second straight season and the sixth time in franchise history they have earned at least 30 wins.

Head coach Mitch Darlington and his staff will begin recruiting for the 2025 roster shortly. Season tickets are available now for as affordable as $150 and a guarantee of at least 27 home games (prior to the addition of home non-league games). Fans looking to keep their same seats for 2025 must renew by Oct. 1 or they will be released to the general public to purchase. Email info@applesox.com or call 509-665-6900 to purchase or renew season tickets.

AppleSox Face Pickles In WCL Championship Game Tonight

WEST COAST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
SINGLE ELIMINATION

First Pitch: 7:15 p.m.
Park: Walker Stadium
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv or ncwlife.com
Listen: kcsyfm.com


GAME NOTES

Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Garrett Ahern get his second start of the postseason after recording a season-high six innings and nine strikeouts at Victoria in Game 1 of the North Division Series last Saturday... The 2024 WCL All-Star went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA, 31 strikeouts, 10 walks and 31 hits over 33 innings in eight starts in the regular season… The AppleSox have won seven-of-nine games that Ahern has pitched in... The incoming sophomore at Grand Canyon has allowed three runs or less in all but one outing this summer...

Portland Probable Pitcher: Freddy Rodriguez appears in his eighth game of the summer and his second of the playoffs after also pitching in Game 1 of the Division Series last Saturday… He allowed two runs (one earned) over seven innings against Bend to earn his seventh win of the summer... Rodriguez went 6-0 with a 1.02 ERA, 54 strikeouts, 16 walks and 22 hits over 44 innings in the regular season... The incoming sophomore at Hawaii tossed at least five innings and punched out a minimum of five hitters in every outing...

North Division Champs: The AppleSox are division champions for the first time since 2013... Wenatchee locked up its ninth division crown with a 1-0 win over Bellingham Wednesday... Evan Canfield struck out four over seven scoreless innings and Max Hartman doubled in the game’s only run in the third... Wenatchee is appearing in the WCL Championship for the first time since 2013 and is looking to win its first title since 2012... A win tonight would be the AppleSox’ seventh league championship (2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012) and sixth West Coast League Championship...

The Pickles: Swept the Bend Elks in the South Division Series last weekend and defeated the Corvallis Knights, , Wednesday in the South Division Championship Game... Ended the Knights’ seven-year championship streak Wednesday at Goss Stadium... Recorded the second-best record in the regular season at 40-14... Are appearing in their first WCL Championship since joining the league in 2018...

Former Pickles: Evan Cloyd and Cooper Whitton match up against their former team for the first time tonight on a huge stage... Cloyd played for the Pickles in each of the previous two summers before joining the AppleSox this season... He hit .263 with 15 extra-base hits and 27 RBI in 38 games last year after a .300 average, one home run and 13 RBI in 27 games in 2022… Whitton appeared in 12 games in Portland last summer and then being picked up by the AppleSox... He homered in his first game with Wenatchee but only played four more games before being injured...

Championship History: Wenatchee is appearing in a league championship/game for the ninth time in its 24-season history... Wenatchee appeared in the previous best-of-three WCL Championship Series in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013... The last time that the AppleSox appeared in a singular league championship game was 2003 when it defeated the Seattle Studs, 8-7, to win the Pacific International League... Wenatchee’s five WCL Championships are second-most in the league...

Pitcher Of The Week: Quincy Vassar’s complete-game effort in Game 2 of the North Division Series last Sunday vs. Victoria earned him the latest WCL Pitcher of the Week honor… He tossed 118 pitches and only allowed one run while striking out eight HarbourCats… The 2024 WCL All-Star went 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 14 walks and 47 hits over 49.1 innings in 10 games (nine starts)… Vassar is in his third season with the AppleSox and is the franchise leader in regular season innings (131.2) and strikeouts (125)… He has only allowed three runs over his last 27 innings on the bump… Vassar is the third AppleSox player to earn a WCL weekly honor this summer, joining Max Hartman (May. 31-June 2) and Evan Canfield (June 10-16)…

Back In The Playoffs: This is the third consecutive season that the AppleSox have qualified for the WCL Postseason and the fourth time in the last five seasons… Wenatchee has made the playoffs in 16-of-its-24 seasons and is looking to win its seventh league championship this summer… The AppleSox won the Pacific International League crown in 2003 before winning the WCL title in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012… Head coach Mitch Darlington has qualified for the playoffs in all three seasons at the helm and his 99 regular-season victories are second-most in franchise history…

First Half and Second Half Champs: The AppleSox earned the top record in the North Division overall, in the first half and in the second half… The AppleSox went 17-10 in the second half and won the first half with an 18-9 mark… The AppleSox and the Riverhawks both finished with 18-9 records in the first half but Wenatchee (+37) held a better run differential (+35)… Wenatchee’s 35-19 overall record was third-best in the WCL behind Corvallis (41-13) and Portland (40-14)… Wenatchee ensured that it will host the North Division Championship Game on Aug. 14 if it advances that far…

30 Wins: For the second straight season and for the sixth time in franchise history the AppleSox have earned at least 30 wins in a season... It’s the first time that Wenatchee has hit 30 victories in back-to-back summers since 2011-12...

AppleSox Win North Division Championship

The Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Bellingham Bells, 1-0, on Wednesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium to clinch their first division championship since 2013.

Evan Canfield tossed seven shutout innings and Max Hartman doubled in Wenatchee’s only run in the third. The AppleSox won all three postseason home games this week, including their third straight elimination game Wednesday.

Canfield got the ball after firing 46 pitches over 2.2 innings of relief four days prior in the first game of the North Division Series and dazzled in his most important outing in three summers with the AppleSox. He retired the side in order in each inning from the second through the fifth and stranded the bases loaded in the seventh in his final frame. He struck out four and only walked one in his final outing of the summer.

Cam Hoiland made the play of the game by robbing Colton Bowser off a home run to lead off the fifth inning. He leapt up at the left field fence and snowconed the baseball to secure the first out.

The incoming senior led off the third inning with a bunt single that sailed over starting pitcher Sax Matson’s head into no man’s land in front of second base. Hartman followed two batters latter with an opposite field double for his first of two hits on the evening.

Micah Bujacich tossed a 1-2-3 eighth inning before stranding two men in the ninth with a strikeout to sell the pennant for Wenatchee.

The AppleSox advance to face the Portland Pickles on Friday night at 6:35 at Walker Stadium. Wenatchee is looking to earn its seventh league championship and sixth West Coast League title.

AppleSox Host Bells In North Division Championship Game

NORTH DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
SINGLE ELIMINATION

First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Park: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv or ncwlife.com
Listen: kcsyfm.com


GAME NOTES

Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Evan Canfield makes his second appearance of the postseason and first start tonight… He allowed two runs while storming out five in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen last Saturday in Game 1 of the North Division Series… The 2024 WCL All-Star went 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA, 34 strikeouts, 12 walks and 23 hits over 30 innings in eight games (five starts)… Canfield previously faced the Bells on June 28 at Joe Martin Field, striking out five over six scoreless frames… The Bothell native is in his third summer with the AppleSox and is third in team history in strikeouts…

Bellingham Probable Pitcher: Sax Matson will appear in his first postseason game and his 15th of the summer for the Bells tonight… He has faced the AppleSox in relief four times this season, allowing a combined three runs on five hits, four walks and five strikeouts over 5.2 innings… Matson’s only start was his last outing when he fired four shutout innings vs. Victoria Aug. 3… The southpaw from Southern California went 2-5 with a 6.96 ERA, 26 strikeouts, 19 walks and 20 hits over 20.2 innings in the regular season…

Last Game: Cam Hoiland allowed one run over 5.1 innings on the mound and hit a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth inning to lead the AppleSox to a 7-2 victory over the Victoria HarbourCats in Game 3 of the North Division Series… Wenatchee moved on thanks to winning both games at home after dropping Game 1 in Nanaimo last Saturday…

Fireworks In The Fifth: The AppleSox combined to score nine runs in the fifth inning of Games 2 and 3 in the North Division Series against the HarbourCats… Wenatchee tallied four runs of insurance in Game 2 on Sunday and then took the lead with a five-spot in Game 2 on Monday… The AppleSox outscored teams 49-21 in the fifth inning in regular-season WCL games… That +28 run differential was their highest of any inning…

Hoiland’s Heroics: Hoiland enters tonight’s game looking to homer in three straight games after going deep in Games 2 and 3 of the North Division Series… His home run on Monday was the longest by an AppleSox hitter this summer, traveling 410 feet to center field… The last AppleSox player to homer in three straight games played was Easton Amundson, who went deep June 17, 18 and 21 last summer… Hoiland is the only AppleSox player (regular season and postseason) to homer and earn the win in the same game since WCL game-by-game stats began being stored online in 2010…

Head-To-Head Playoff History: The AppleSox and the Bells meet in a postseason series/division championship game for the fifth time… This is the second time in three seasons that they meet in the North Division Championship Game after Bellingham won, 4-2, on Aug. 13, 2022… The AppleSox forfeited a matchup in the Pacific International League tournament at Joe Martin Field July 26, 2002 for using a player not listed on their roster… Wenatchee won the inaugural WCL Championship Series by sweeping the Bells in two games in 2005 and then won the 2012 East Division Series in three games… The AppleSox are 3-0 in postseason games against the Bells played at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium…

Pitcher Of The Week: Quincy Vassar’s complete-game effort in Game 2 of the North Division Series Sunday night vs. Victoria earned him the latest WCL Pitcher of the Week honor… He tossed 118 pitches and only allowed one run while striking out eight HarbourCats… The 2024 WCL All-Star went 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 14 walks and 47 hits over 49.1 innings in 10 games (nine starts)… Vassar is in his third season with the AppleSox and is the franchise leader in regular season innings (131.2) and strikeouts (125)… He has only allowed three runs over his last 27 innings on the bump… Vassar is the third AppleSox player to earn a WCL weekly honor this summer, joining Max Hartman (May. 31-June 2) and Evan Canfield (June 10-16)…

Back In The Playoffs: This is the third consecutive season that the AppleSox have qualified for the WCL Postseason and the fourth time in the last five seasons… Wenatchee has made the playoffs in 16-of-its-24 seasons and is looking to win its seventh league championship this summer… The AppleSox won the Pacific International League crown in 2003 before winning the WCL title in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012… Head coach Mitch Darlington has qualified for the playoffs in all three seasons at the helm and his 99 regular-season victories are second-most in franchise history…

First Half and Second Half Champs: The AppleSox earned the top record in the North Division overall, in the first half and in the second half… The AppleSox went 17-10 in the second half and won the first half with an 18-9 mark… The AppleSox and the Riverhawks both finished with 18-9 records in the first half but Wenatchee (+37) held a better run differential (+35)… Wenatchee’s 35-19 overall record was third-best in the WCL behind Corvallis (41-13) and Portland (40-14)… Wenatchee ensured that it will host the North Division Championship Game on Aug. 14 if it advances that far…

30 Wins: For the second straight season and for the sixth time in franchise history the AppleSox have earned at least 30 wins in a season... It’s the first time that Wenatchee has hit 30 victories in back-to-back summers since 2011-12...

Hoiland Does It All, AppleSox Eliminate Victoria

Cam Hoiland allowed one run over 5.1 innings on the mound and hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth to give the Wenatchee AppleSox a 7-2 win over the Victoria HarbourCats in Game 3 of the North Division Series Monday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The win advances the AppleSox to the North Division Championship Game on Wednesday night. Wenatchee will host the Bellingham Bells at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The winner will advance to face the winner of the Corvallis Knights vs. the Portland Pickles in the South Division Championship Game, which will take place Wednesday at Goss Stadium.

Hoiland homered for a second straight game and drove in four runs over two games vs. Victoria. He kept the HarbourCats bats at bay by inducing inning-ending double plays in each of the first two innings. Hoiland gave up the game’s first run in the top of the fourth but stranded two men in the fifth with a strikeout.

The incoming senior stepped to the plate with the game tied and one out in the second before launching a 1-2 pitch 410 feet to center for the longest home run by an AppleSox player this summer. That blast opened the floodgates as Wenatchee scored four more runs via an RBI double from Cooper Whitton, a two-run double by James Castagnola and an RBI single from Jonathan Fitz.

The turning point in the five-run fifth came two batters after Hoiland’s blast. With Kanoa Morisaki at first following a single, Max Hartman grounded a pitch to second that looked like a potential double play. Second baseman Kerim Orusevic fielded the ball and tried to tag Morisaki as he ran to second, but ball ricocheted out of Orusevic’s glove upon contact and into right field to allow Morisaki to reach third and Hartman to get to second.

The AppleSox did not score again until the eighth when Hunter Friedberg hit an opposite-field single for his third RBI of the postseason. Jonathan Fitz hit a long fly ball to right field that outfielder Sky Collins dropped on the warning track right as the wind was picking up.

Andrew Monson entered in the sixth with one out and a runner on second but stranded the runner and finished the game. He gave up one run in the ninth but slammed the door shut with 3.2 innings to earn the save.

The AppleSox advanced by winning each of the final two games of the series. Victoria claimed Game 1 on Saturday with a 4-2 walkoff victory before Wenatchee’s 9-1 win on Sunday and 7-2 triumph Monday. The AppleSox are playing in the North Division Championship Game for the second time in three seasons under head coach Mitch Darlington, who has now won two-of-three North Division Series in his tenure.

Wenatchee has Tuesday off before hosting its final home game Wednesday night. Tickets are half off using the code 5050 at checkout and are available now at AppleSox.com/schedule

AppleSox Host HarbourCats In Game 3 Tonight

GAME 3 - NORTH DIVISION SERIES
Series tied, 1-1

First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Park: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv or ncwlife.com
Listen: kcsyfm.com


GAME NOTES

Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Cam Hoiland heads to the mound after a huge night at the plate last night… The incoming senior at Cal Poly homered and drove in three runs for Wenatchee…This will be Hoiland’s second time on the mound against the HarbourCats after allowing two runs (one earned) in five innings to earn the win on July 4 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium… Hoiland finished the regular season 1-2 with a 4.60 ERA, 19 strikeouts, 10 walks and 31 hits over 29.1 innings in seven games (six starts)…

Victoria Probable Pitcher: Jalen Sami gets the ball for the visitors for the decisive Game 3… The incoming sophomore at the University of Victoria went 1-0 with a 2.18 ERA, 10 strikeouts, one walk and seven hits over 12.1 innings in eight games... This will be his first start of 2024 and he only pitched more than two innings once, which came in his latest appearance, Aug. 7 vs. Corvallis... Sami did not allow any runs, struck out three, did not walk anyone and allowed one hit to earn the win...

Winner Moves On: The winner of tonight’s game will face the winner of the other North Division Series matchup between Bellingham and Edmonton… That series is also tied up and their Game 3 is also tonight… The North Division Championship Game is Wednesday night and the AppleSox will host it if they advance…

Last Night: Quincy Vassar went the distance, firing a complete game as the AppleSox defeated the HarbourCats, 9-1, to force Game 3 tonight… Wenatchee recovered from being walked off on Saturday by taking a lead in the second inning and then holding it the rest of the way… Vassar struck out eight, stranded nine and recorded three 1-2-3 innings…

Complete Game: Last night was Vassar’s second complete game of the summer after tossing eight innings at Bellingham June 29 in a 1-0 loss… It was also the first nine-inning complete game, regular season or postseason, for the AppleSox since Hunter Boyd July 18, 2018 vs. Portland… Vassar tossed the AppleSox’ first complete game in the postseason since Trevor Lubking gave up one run over eight innings at Corvallis in Game 2 of the 2013 WCL Championship Series, which is the last time that the AppleSox reached the final round…

Pitcher Of The Week: Vassar’s effort last night also earned him the WCL Pitcher of the Week… The 2024 WCL All-Star went 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 14 walks and 47 hits over 49.1 innings in 10 games (nine starts)… Vassar is in his third season with the AppleSox and is the franchise leader in regular season innings (131.2) and strikeouts (125)… He has only allowed three runs over his last 27 innings on the bump… Vassar is the third AppleSox player to earn a WCL weekly honor this summer, joining Max Hartman (May. 31-June 2) and Evan Canfield (June 10-16).

Game 3: This is the first time that the AppleSox have played a Game 3 in the postseason since dropping Game 3 of the North Division Series Aug. 15, 2019… Victoria walked it off with an 8-7 victory, scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth to erase a 7-5 deficit… Wenatchee scored three times, all with two outs, in the top of the ninth to overcome a 5-3 deficit and take a brief lead… The AppleSox are 3-2 all-time in Game 3’s… Two of those wins came in 2012 when Wenatchee won its last WCL title with a 6-3 win over Bellingham Aug. 13 to win the East Division Series and 8-3 Aug. 18 vs. Corvallis to win their fifth WCL Championship… All three of the AppleSox’ Game 3 victories have come at home…

Back In The Playoffs: This is the third consecutive season that the AppleSox have qualified for the WCL Postseason and the fourth time in the last five seasons… Wenatchee has made the playoffs in 16-of-its-24 seasons and is looking to win its seventh league championship this summer… The AppleSox won the Pacific International League crown in 2003 before winning the WCL title in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012… Head coach Mitch Darlington has qualified for the playoffs in all three seasons at the helm and his 99 regular-season victories are second-most in franchise history…

Second Half Champs: The AppleSox have guaranteed the top record in the North Division in the second half thanks to Victoria and Bellingham both losing last night… The AppleSox are 16-10 in the second half and already won the first half with an 18-9 mark… Their 34-19 overall record is third-best in the WCL behind Corvallis (41-13) and Portland (39-14)… Wenatchee has ensured that it will host the North Division Championship Game on Aug. 14 if it advances that far…

Vassar Earns WCL Pitcher Of The Week

Wenatchee AppleSox left-handed pitcher Quincy Vassar has been named the West Coast League’s Pitcher of the Week after tossing a complete game in Game 2 of the North Division Series.

The senior at Vanguard allowed one run over nine innings and fired a career-high 118 pitches. Vassar struck out eight, walked one and allowed 10 hits Sunday night. He recorded three 1-2-3 innings and stranded nine men on the basepaths. Vassar left two men on in back-to-back innings in the fourth and fifth and then induced an inning-ending double play in the sixth with the bases loaded.

The Brewster native is coming off an All-Star regular season in which he went 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 14 walks and 47 hits over 49.1 innings in 10 games (nine starts). Vassar is in his third season with the AppleSox and is the franchise leader in regular season innings (131.2) and strikeouts (125). He has only allowed three runs over his last 27 innings on the bump.

Vassar became the first AppleSox starter to fire a nine-inning complete game, regular season or postseason, since Hunter Boyd July 18, 2018 vs. Portland. The southpaw tossed the AppleSox’ first complete game in the postseason since Trevor Lubking gave up one run over eight innings at Corvallis in Game 2 of the 2013 WCL Championship Series, which is the last time that the AppleSox reached the final round.

Vassar is the third AppleSox player to earn a WCL weekly honor this summer, joining Max Hartman (May. 31-June 2) and Evan Canfield (June 10-16).

The AppleSox face the Victoria HarbourCats tonight at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium in Game 3 of the North Division Series. The winner of this game moves on to face the winner of Game 3 between Bellingham and Edmonton in the other North Division Series matchup. The North Division Championship is scheduled for Wednesday and will be at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium if the AppleSox win.

All tickets for Game 3 tonight are half off. Fans can get in for as low as $4 by going to AppleSox.com/schedule, selecting their seats and using code 5050 at checkout.

Vassar’s Masterpiece Forces Game 3

Quincy Vassar tossed his second complete game of the summer and the Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Victoria HarbourCats, 9-1, in Game 2 of the North Division Series on Sunday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Vassar only surrendered one run and struck out eight hitters over nine innings while tossing 118 pitches. He helped the AppleSox force a decisive Game 3 on Monday night in Wenatchee.

Cam Hoiland homered and recorded 3 RBI while Jonathan Fitz drove in two runs, including the game-winning hit in the third. The AppleSox blew the game open with a four-run fifth and scored in five-of-eight innings at the plate.

After tossing the only AppleSox’ only complete game since of the regular season on June 29 at Bellingham, the 2024 West Coast League All-Star topped himself in his second career postseason start. The lefty from Brewster recorded three 1-2-3 innings and stranded nine men on the basepaths.

Vassar surrendered his only run in the fourth on three straight two-out singles to make it 2-1, Wenatchee, but stranded two men. The bats broke through in the fifth as six straight hitters reached base with one out. James Castagnola and Evan Cloyd drew back-to-back walks before singled in Castagnola for an insurance run. Jake Larson hit an infield single to load up the bases. Hunter Friedberg plated a pair on a single of his own before Hoiland drove in Larson on a single.

Fitz drove in Cloyd with a two-out RBI double down the left-field line in the third to plate the run that proved to be the difference. Kanoa Morisaki hit a high-chopper to third with runners at second and third in the second inning to bring home Wenatchee’s first run of the night.

Hoiland crushed a two-out, two-run shot in the seventh to put an exclamation point on the night but the loudest cheer of the evening came when Vassar wiggled out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the sixth. He had just stranded two men in scoring position in a scoreless top of the fifth before the AppleSox’ bats broke out in the bottom of the inning, but had an even more impressive trick up his sleeve this time. With HarbourCats at each base, Ny’Zaiah Thompson hit a hot shot right back to Vassar who snared the liner on a hop, underhanded to Fitz at home plate to get the force out and then the AppleSox catcher fired to first base to complete an inning-ending double play.

Vassar became the first AppleSox starter to fire a nine-inning complete game, regular season or postseason, since Hunter Boyd July 18, 2018 vs. Portland. The southpaw tossed the AppleSox’ first complete game in the postseason since Trevor Lubking gave up one run over eight innings at Corvallis in Game 2 of the 2013 WCL Championship Series, which is the last time that the AppleSox reached the final round.

Game 3 of the North Division Series is Monday night at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The winner advances to the North Division Championship Game. If Wenatchee wins, then it will host the game against the winner of the Bellingham-Edmonton series, which is also heading to a third game.

All tickets for Game 3 on Monday night are half off. Fans can get in for as low as $4 by going to AppleSox.com/schedule, selecting their seats and using code 5050 at checkout.

AppleSox Return Home, Look To Even Series

GAME 2 - NORTH DIVISION SERIES
Victoria leads, 1-0

First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Park: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv or ncwlife.com
Listen: kcsyfm.com

GAME NOTES

Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Quincy Vassar gets the ball for his second career postseason start tonight… The southpaw from Brewster is coming off an All-Star campaign in which he went 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 14 walks and 47 hits over 49.1 innings in 10 games (nine starts)… Vassar is the AppleSox’ all-time leader in innings and strikeouts and also has only allowed two runs over his last 18 innings on the bump… He previously pitched in the postseason in Game 2 of the North Division Series in 2022, helping the AppleSox advance to the North Division Championship Game with two runs (one earned) given up over seven innings on six hits, one walk and eight strikeouts on Aug. 10 two summers ago…

Victoria Probable Pitcher: Payton Hawkinson takes on the AppleSox for a third time this summer and makes his 10th overall appearance… The freshman at Cal State Fullerton started seven games this summer and went 1-3 with a 5.99 ERA, 20 strikeouts, 13 walks and 27 hits over 27.1 innings… He previously surrendered six runs in 2.1 innings at Wenatchee July 4 and one run in an inning of relief June 8 vs. the AppleSox at Royal Athletic Park… Hawkinson has surrendered at least four runs three times and lost all three outings…

Last Night: The HarbourCats walked off Wenatchee in Game 1 on a two-out, two-run home run from Kerim Orusevic in the bottom of the ninth to win, 4-2, last night at Serauxmen Stadium… The AppleSox have never won any of their previous six playoff series when dropping Game 1…

Facing Elimination: The AppleSox must win tonight to keep their season alive in the best-of-three North Division Series… Wenatchee will need to win four consecutive elimination games in order to win the WCL Championship… Road teams to lose Game 1 of the North Division Series since 2016 are 3-2 in Game 2… That includes 2019, when the HarbourCats dropped Game 1 at Wenatchee before winning the next two games and the series at home…

Strikeouts: The AppleSox punched out a season-high 15 times last night… Victoria starter Carson Cormier struck out eight hitters over four shutout innings, including each of the first six AppleSox to step to the plate… Wenatchee struck out the second-fewest times this regular season (339) of the 16 WCL teams… Garrett Ahern punched out nine batters over six innings to set season-highs in both categories… Evan Canfield followed with five strikeouts in 2.2 innings…

Mad Max: Max Hartman reached base three times last night while recording his fourth consecutive multi-hit game… He picked up two singles and drew a walk while also hitting a hard line out to second… Hartman recorded 17 multi-hit games in the regular season, including five consecutive to open the summer to become the first AppleSox player to ever achieve that feat… The incoming junior at Washington State is batting .562 (9-for-16) over the last four games with six runs, five walks and two stolen bases… Hartman scored 51 runs in the regular season to tie Portland’s Tanner Griffith for the WCL lead, marking the third straight season that an AppleSox hitter led or tied for the most runs scored…

Two-Out Larson: Jake Larson drove in both of Wenatchee’s runs last night with a two-out RBI single in the eighth… It marked Larson’s fourth two-out RBI base hit of the week after two in his first two at-bats on Thursday and another one in the first inning the day prior at Bend… Larson finished the regular season hitting .417 (5-for-12) with 7 RBI in two-out runners in scoring position opportunities… As a team, the AppleSox hit .249 with 101 RBI over 317 at-bats in two-out opportunities with runners in scoring position in the regular season…

Back In The Playoffs: This is the third consecutive season that the AppleSox have qualified for the WCL Postseason and the fourth time in the last five seasons… Wenatchee has made the playoffs in 16-of-its-24 seasons and is looking to win its seventh league championship this summer… The AppleSox won the Pacific International League crown in 2003 before winning the WCL title in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012… Head coach Mitch Darlington has qualified for the playoffs in all three seasons at the helm and his 99 regular-season victories are second-most in franchise history…

First Half and Second Half Champs: The AppleSox earned the top record in the North Division overall, in the first half and in the second half… The AppleSox went 17-10 in the second half and won the first half with an 18-9 mark… The AppleSox and the Riverhawks both finished with 18-9 records in the first half but Wenatchee (+37) held a better run differential (+35)… Wenatchee’s 35-19 overall record was third-best in the WCL behind Corvallis (41-13) and Portland (40-14)… Wenatchee ensured that it will host the North Division Championship Game on Aug. 14 if it advances that far…

30 Wins: For the second straight season and for the sixth time in franchise history the AppleSox have earned at least 30 wins in a season... It’s the first time that Wenatchee has hit 30 victories in back-to-back summers since 2011-12...