Errors, Men Left On Base Doom AppleSox on Opening Night
/
The Wenatchee AppleSox dropped their first non-league game in three years as they fell to the Northwest Star Academy Nighthawks on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.
Despite scoring first and leading going into the sixth inning, the AppleSox’ bats went cold late and the Nighthawks took advantage of mistakes to retake and then add to the lead. Both teams committed seven errors apiece but the AppleSox stranded 17 men on the basepaths, compared to seven men left on for the Northwest Star Academy.
The Nighthawks scored each of their final six runs (three in the sixth, two in the seventh and one in the ninth) with two outs. The AppleSox twice batted with the bases loaded and two outs (fourth and seventh innings) but were unable to drive any runs home in those situations.
The AppleSox’ three runs all came across without any base hits. Wenatchee scored one run in the first and another in the second thanks to a combined six errors by the Nighthawks. The AppleSox did not collect their first hit until the fourth inning, when Ben Leid poked a single into right field with one out.
Enzo Apodaca led off for the AppleSox and consistently helped set the table for the rest of the order. The freshman at Gonzaga reached base five times via three singles, a hit by pitch and catcher’s interference. He scored the game’s first run in the first inning and also stole a base.
The loss snaps the AppleSox’ streak of eight consecutive wins against non-league opponents. Their last loss to an opponent from outside the West Coast League was against the River City Athletics in the 2018 home opener on June 5, 2018.
The AppleSox look to pick up their first win of the season on Wednesday evening when they wrap up their brief two-game non-league set against the Northwest Star Academy.
