AppleSox Release 2025 Schedule
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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...
HarbourCats Walk Off AppleSox In Game 1
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Kerim Orusevic hit a two-out, two-run walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Victoria HarbourCats to a 4-2 win over the Wenatchee AppleSox in Game 1 of the North Division Series Saturday night at Serauxmen Stadium.
The AppleSox clawed back from a 2-0 deficit with a two-out, 2-RBI single by Jake Larson in the eighth but Wenatchee never held a lead. It put the winning run in scoring position later that inning and again by loading up the bases in the ninth with two outs but could not score either time. The AppleSox left 11 men on the bases and struck out 15 times.
Garrett Ahern was phenomenal in relief, punching out nine and only allowing two runs in six innings. Evan Canfield punched out five in 2.2 innings in relief.
Max Hartman singled twice and scored a run out of the leadoff spot. James Castagnola also recorded a multi-hit games with a pair of singles.
The AppleSox return home Sunday night needing to win to keep their season alive. A Wenatchee win forces a Game 3 on Monday. A loss ends their season. Road teams who have lost Game 1 of the North Division Series. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. Sunday and tickets are available at applesox.com/schedule
AppleSox, HarbourCats Clash In Postseason Again
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GAME 1 - NORTH DIVISION SERIES
First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Park: Serauxmen Stadium
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv
Listen: kcsyfm.com
GAME NOTES
Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Garrett Ahern gets the ball for the series opener, making his third road start of the summer… The incoming sophomore at Grand Canyon 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… Ahern started against the HarbourCats on Fireworks Night, July 3rd at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium and allowed three unearned runs over four innings… The AppleSox won six-of-eight games that Ahern pitched in, including each of the first six…
Victoria Probable Pitcher: Carson Cormier faces the AppleSox for a third time this summer and gets the start for Game 1 of the North Division Series… He went 1-0 with a 1.45 ERA, 34 strikeouts, eight walks and 16 hits over 24.2 innings in 12 games (three starts)… Cormier did not allow any runs in a combined 3.1 innings vs. Wenatchee on June 9 and July 4…The incoming freshman at TCU earned a WCL All-Star berth last month and only allowed four earned runs all summer…
Rivalry Renewed: For the second straight season the Victoria HarbourCats and the Wenatchee AppleSox will match up in the North Division Series… The difference between this year and last is that this time the AppleSox have home-field advantage after being swept last season… Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3 will take place at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium… Game 1 is at Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo because Royal Athletic Park is Victoria is being prepared to host a Canadian Football League game on Aug. 31… Wenatchee and Victoria also matched up in the North Division Series in 2019, with the HarbourCats winning in three games… The AppleSox won four-of-six games against the HarbourCats in the regular-season series this summer… The winner of this series will face the winner of the Edmonton-Bellingham matchup on Wednesday in the North Division Championship Game…
Last Game: The AppleSox concluded the regular season with a 35-19 record thanks to a 10-4 win over the Bend Elks on Thursday night at Vince Genna Stadium… Max Hartman reached base five times and scored three times to finish tied with Portland’s Tanner Griffith for the WCL lead with 51 runs, marking the third straight season that an AppleSox player led or tied for the WCL lead in runs...
The HarbourCats: Concluded the regular season with an 11-8 win over Corvallis to salvage a three-game series… Finished 2024 29-25 with the fourth-best record in the North Division… Won 11 of their final 15 games, including nine straight July 22-Aug. 1… Advanced to the WCL Championship Game last summer… Have made the playoffs in each of their four seasons led by head coach Todd Haney…
Batting Champion: Aidan Dougherty finished the regular season a WCL-best .380 to tie Connor Spencer of the 2013 AppleSox for the best batting average with at least 40 games played in a single summer… The incoming junior at UConn finished the regular season on a 10-game hitting streak while also leading the WCL with five triples… Dougherty joined Payden Cawley-Lamb (.350 in 2011) and Curtis Van Wyck (.352 in 2007) as the only AppleSox to ever win a West Coast League batting crown…
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…
First Half Champs: For the first time since the two-half playoff berths began being awarded in 2016 the AppleSox have won the North Division first half title and have locked up home-field advantage as the top seed in the first round of the playoffs… This is the 16th playoff berth in franchise history and the fourth in the last five seasons… The AppleSox and the Riverhawks both finished with 18-9 records in the first half but Wenatchee (+37) held a better run differential (+35)…
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...
Dougherty Wins Batting Crown, AppleSox Top Elks
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Aidan Dougherty became the third player in team history to record the top batting average in the West Coast League as the Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Bend Elks, 10-4, on Thursday night at Vince Genna Stadium.
Wenatchee (35-19, 17-10 second half) led 8-0 before the bottom of the third and chased Bend starter Parker Grant before an out was recorded in the second. The AppleSox finished the season first in the WCL in runs (380) and batting average (.283).
Dougherty drew two walks and hit a sacrifice fly before singling in the fifth in his final plate appearance of the summer. The incoming junior at UConn extended his hitting streak to 10 games and joined Payden Cawley-Lamb (.350 in 2011) and Curtis Van Wyck (.352 in 2007) as the only AppleSox to ever win a WCL batting crown. Dougherty finished the season with a .380 average and also led the league with five triples. His 43 RBI tied for third-most and his 21 steals were the third-most in a single season in AppleSox history. The Snohomish native also matched Connor Spencer (2013) for the best batting average in a single season in team history among players to appear in at least 40 games.
Karsten Sweum tossed four scoreless innings in his third start of the summer. Aaron Platner (1-0) blanked the Elks in the fifth and sixth to earn the win in his AppleSox debut.
Max Hartman scored three times to tie Portland’s Tanner Griffith for the WCL lead with 51 runs. This is the third straight season that an AppleSox player has tied or led the league in runs after Frankie Carney scored 44 runs last season and Joichiro Oyama set a WCL record with 64 runs in 2022. Hartman reached base five times in six plate appearances Thursday night and .583 as the leadoff hitter all three games against Bend.
James Castagnola doubled in a pair of runs in the first and then hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth to plate three runs. Cooper Whitton recorded multi-RBI day for a second straight night with an RBI single in the third and a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Jake Larson hit a two-out RBI single in the first inning for a second straight game and then replicated the feat in the second inning.
Kanoa Morisaki reached safely three times with two hits and a walk before shifting over to the mound from shortstop to get the final four outs.
Wenatchee locked up the best records in the North Division in the first half and second half for the first time since the two-half playoff format was adopted in 2016. The AppleSox will face the Victoria HarbourCats this weekend in the North Division Series. Game 2 is Sunday night at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium and tickets are available at AppleSox.com/schedule.
AppleSox Wrap Up Regular Season At Bend
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First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Park: Vince Genna Stadium
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv
Listen: kcsyfm.com
GAME NOTES
Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Karsten Sweum makes his third start and first since July 9… The incoming freshman at Gonzaga is 0-2 with a 14.53 ERA, nine strikeouts, 18 walks and six hits over 8.2 innings in five games… He has not allowed a run in his first inning on the bump, whether starting or relieving… Last time out, Sweum surrendered two runs on one hit, four walks and four strikeouts in two innings vs. Nanaimo last Saturday…
Bend Probable Pitcher: Each of the previous two days’ listed probables did not start that night but the Elks have Parker Grant listed tonight… He is 1-1 with a 5.23 ERA, 10 strikeouts, 14 walks and 27 hits over 22.1 innings in nine games (two starts)… Grant has reached the sixth inning in both starts but is coming off suffering the loss last Thursday by surrendering four runs at Springfield despite striking out a season-high five…
Last Game: The AppleSox held a 5-1 lead after four-and-a-half innings but could not hang on, falling to Bend, 8-7, in 11 innings… Cooper Whitton led the AppleSox at the plate with a three-hit, 3-RBI night… Braiden Boyd fired a season-high five innings and picked up a no-decision despite only allowing three runs…
Batting Crown Race: Aidan Dougherty raised his batting average to a WCL-best .376 with a 2-for-4 game last night… He picked up his seventh consecutive multi-hit game while also extending his hitting streak to nine games… Dougherty is batting .473 over this streak and sits nine points ahead of Hunter Katschke (.367) and 12 in front of former AppleSox catcher Justin Stransky (.364)… Both play for Ridgefield and the Raptors wrap up the regular season tonight at Walla Walla… Dougherty is trying to join Payden Cawley-Lamb (.350 in 2011) and Curtis Van Wyck (.352 in 2007) as the only AppleSox to ever win a West Coast League batting crown… Dougherty’s current average would be the second-best in AppleSox history among players to play in at least 40 games in a single summer…
Avoid The Sweep: Tonight is only the second time this summer that the AppleSox enter the last game of a three-game series having lost the first two contests… Wenatchee has not been swept this summer and hasn’t lost all three games in a series consecutively since July 15-17 at Victoria… The last time that the AppleSox were not swept in a season was technically 2018… Wenatchee dropped both games of a doubleheader on June 11 after the previous three days’ games were all rained out and then dropped both games of a doubleheader July 19 when the additional game was rescheduled… Prior to that, Wenatchee’s last time not losing three consecutive games in the same location over the course of a full season was 2012, which is when the AppleSox won their sixth and most recent league championship…
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 Tuesday 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…
Playoff Picture: The AppleSox will face the Victoria HarbourCats in the North Division Series beginning on Saturday… Wenatchee won four-of-six games vs. Victoria this summer and will face them in the postseason for a second straight season… Game 1 will be at Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo before Games 2 and, if necessary, Game 3 are at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium Saturday and Sunday, respectively…
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...
First Half Champs: For the first time since the two-half playoff berths began being awarded in 2016 the AppleSox have won the North Division first half title and have locked up home-field advantage as the top seed in the first round of the playoffs… This is the 16th playoff berth in franchise history and the fourth in the last five seasons… The AppleSox and the Riverhawks both finished with 18-9 records in the first half but Wenatchee (+37) held a better run differential (+35)…
AppleSox Fall In Extras At Bend
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The Wenatchee AppleSox could not hang on to a lead midway through the game and fell to the Bend Elks, 8-7, in 11 innings Wednesday night at Vince Genna Stadium.
Wenatchee (34-19, 16-10 second half) led 5-1 after four-and-a-half innings but surrendered six runs over the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game. They drew 12 walks, one off matching their single-game high this summer.
Cooper Whitton led the AppleSox at the plate with a three-hit, 3-RBI night. He hit an RBI single in the first to score Wenatchee’s first run of the game before plating their final runs on a 2-RBI double in the sixth.
Braiden Boyd tossed a career-high five innings in his second start and team-leading 13th appearance. He struck out four and only allowed four hits.
Whitton and Jake Larson hit back-to-back two-out RBI singles in the first inning to Wenatchee up 2-0 early. The AppleSox surrendered one run in the bottom of the first but plated the next three runs thanks to back-to-back doubles by Cam Hoiland and Kanoa Morisaki to open the second and then a strange sequence in the fourth. Hoiland and Morisaki both moved 90 feet on a wild pitch but then Hoiland came in to score on a lackadaisical throw to third after the ball was retrieved. Max Hartman singled in Morisaki on the next pitch to put the AppleSox up four runs.
The Elks scored twice in the fifth and then five times in the sixth to tie the game up. They plated the winning run thanks to three walks and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th.
The AppleSox wrap up the regular season on Thursday night at 6:35. Wenatchee locked up the best records in the North Division in the first half and second half for the first time since the two-half playoff format was adopted in 2016. The AppleSox will face the Victoria HarbourCats this weekend in the North Division Series. Game 2 is Sunday night at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium and tickets are available at AppleSox.com/schedule.
