Late Offensive Onslaught Pushes Sox Past Flacons

WENATCHEE, WA - Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the AppleSox scored 14 of their 16 runs in the final two innings to defeat the Kelowna Falcons, 18-6, on Thursday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The Sox batted around in both the seventh and eighth innings to take the series finale against the Falcons. Blake Klassen delivered the game-winning bases-clearing double to buoy the Sox to victory.

In addition to his 3 RBI, Klassen scored three runs and reached base three times. Eight of nine Sox starters reached base at least twice.

Kelowna struck twice in the third inning and again in the fifth inning to take a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth. Kody Darcy led off the bottom half of the frame with his team-leading third home run of the season to put the AppleSox on the board.

After Kelowna tacked on another run in the top of the sixth, Wenatchee answered with a run of its own. Klassen walked with one out, Cory Meyer singled and Brett Gillis walked to load the bases. Quinn Ayers then hit a sacrifice fly to score Klassen.

With the Sox trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, the bats woke up. Tyler Detloff led off with a walk, then Johnny Sage and Cole McKenzie followed with back-to-back singles. Dalton Harum tripled off the center-field wall to clear the bases, then scored on a wild pitch as the Sox took the lead.

However, they weren’t finished. Klassen singled and scored three batters later when Kodie Kolden doubled him in. Kolden then scored when Darcy reached on an error.

Even though the Sox scored six times in the seventh to take the lead, the Falcons rallied to tie it back up with a four-spot in the top of the eighth.

With the game tied 8-8, the AppleSox doubled their run output in the bottom of the inning for their best inning of the season. Sage walked to open the inning and then McKenzie and Harum were both plunked by pitches to load up the bases before Klassen cleared the bases with a double to left-center. He scored on a wild pitch to make it 12-4, Sox.

However, that was only half of the run production. After each of the first four batters reached base and scored to open the inning, Gillis and Kolden both walked with one out. Darcy singled in Gillis and then Detloff reached on an error to load the bases. Sage plated a run with a sacrifice fly to right field and then McKenzie score two more with a double.

The Sox salvaged the series and now head to Bend to face the Elks this weekend for the final three games of their first-half schedule. First pitch on Friday night is at 6:35.

Full boxscore: http://pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=501883