AppleSox Looks To Take Season Series vs Sweets Tonight
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The Wenatchee AppleSox look to take their fifth West Coast League series of the season tonight as they face the Walla Walla Sweets at 6:35 p.m. at Borleske Stadium. A series victory tonight would give the AppleSox a season-series victory over the Sweets. The AppleSox guaranteed at least a tie this summer against the Sweets with a 7-1 win last night. Cole Hatton struck out five and only allowed one run in five innings. Michael DeFelippi punched out two in a scoreless sixth after he loaded up the bases with no outs. Skylar Hales tossed a scoreless final three innings to pick up his first save of the summer. The AppleSox scored four runs in the top of the ninth provide some breathing room.
Now, the AppleSox turn to Logan Mercado (2-1, 3.47 ERA) to try and pick up a series victory. Hatton's effort last night marked the 10th time an AppleSox starter tossed at least five innings in a start and the sixth time in the last nine games. Wenatchee is 8-2 in these instances and has won four-of-the-last-six times that this has occurred.
A series win tonight will give the AppleSox their first since taking two-of-three against the Port Angeles Lefties, July 6-8. The AppleSox have won four series this season, including their first series against the Sweets, June 8-10. A win tonight or tomorrow would give the AppleSox their third road series victory to go along with the trip to Port Angeles and taking two-of-three from Cowlitz, June 22-24. The AppleSox enter tonight's game winners of four-of-their-last-six road games.
Last night's win pulled the AppleSox into a tie for third place in the North Division in terms of overall record. If Yakima Valley wins the second half, the second half North Division playoff spot goes to the team with the next-best overall record. The Pippins currently sit in first place in the second half and the AppleSox are 1.5 games back of the idle Bellingham Bells for the second-best overall record. The Sox are two games out of first in the second half.
Logan Mercado will make his fourth start of the summer tonight. He’s tossed at least four innings in all three starts and has increased how many innings he has tossed in each start. The incoming sophomore at Oregon is coming off tossing a seven shutout innings a week ago against Bellingham in a 5-0 win. He has only allowed one run in his last two games, spanning 12 innings, and has struck out 11 in that time.
The Sweets send Andrew Baughn to the hill in an effort to tie up the series. He’s making his Sweets debut after posting a 2.87 ERA and striking out 55 hitters in 47 innings across 16 games this spring at Southern Idaho. He allowed 30 hits, walked 17 and plunked 11 hitters in that time.
Listen live to the action on Sunny FM at kcsyfm.com on your desktop computer or by tuning in at any of the following stations below.
Wenatchee: 93.9 FM
East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM
Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM
Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM
Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM
Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM
Methow Valley: 106.3 FM
Pregame coverage begins at 6:10 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show and the broadcast wraps up with the Denny’s Late Night Postgame Show. Joel Norman will provide play-by-play coverage.
Live stats can be found on Pointstreak.
