AppleSox Travel To Springfield For First Time
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The Wenatchee AppleSox begin their second road series of the season tonight as they face the Springfield Drifters at the Hamlin Sports Complex at 6:35.
Wenatchee and Springfield square off for the second time in a week after the Drifters came to the Apple Capital and took two-of-three from the AppleSox. Wenatchee responded by sweeping the Victoria HarbourCats and Springfield split two games at Port Angeles with one being suspended by rain.
The AppleSox have swept two-of-their-first-three series thanks in part to superb pitching. AppleSox starters have tossed at least five innings in each of the last nine games and Cam Hoiland provided perhaps the best start to date on Sunday. The incoming junior at Cal Poly struck out nine in six shutout innings a six shutout innings to become the first AppleSox starter this summer to toss multiple games of at least six innings while setting the high mark for a 2023 AppleSox starter in strikeouts. Wenatchee recorded 16 starts of at least five innings in 54 games last season.
Brandham Ponce made his 2023 debut with the AppleSox last Tuesday and had a quiet series against Springfield, collecting one hit in 11 at-bats while being hit by two pitches and drawing one walk. He turned it on in the series against Victoria, batting .667 (6-for-9) with two doubles, 6 RBI and three walks while batting cleanup in each game. Ponce led the 2022 AppleSox with four home runs and though he has not left the yard yet this summer he already has half of the six doubles that he recorded a year ago.
Cole Calnon has been Springfield's most consistent hitter through the first week-plus. In addition to picking up the save against the AppleSox last Tuesday Calnon has also hit .300 in seven games at the plate. He has a hit in each of the last four games and his five doubles are tied for the most in the WCL. Calnon batted .307 (4-for-13) in the three games against Wenatchee last week, including a pair of two-hit performances in the final two games of the series.
Quincy Vassar looks to bounce back after suffering the loss in the AppleSox home opener against the Drifters last Tuesday. Only one of the four runs that he allowed in five innings was earned but all four runs scored in the third inning. Vassar uncharacteristically walked five hitters after never walking more than three in any of his 10 games with the AppleSox last summer. He did strike out three hitters and is coming off tying for the fifth-most strikeouts in the West Coast League in 2022 with 45.
The Drifters will send Decker Stedman to the mound for his 2023 debut. He recorded 5.35 ERA with 22 strikeouts to 19 walks while allowing 37 hits over 37 innings in 11 games (seven starts) this spring at Lewis-Clark State College. Stedman previously pitched for the Bend Elks last summer and posted a 3.47 ERA in nine games. He allowed eight runs in two outings against the AppleSox but only three of the runs were earned.
Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage begins at 6:10 p.m. with the AppleSox Pregame Show presented by Kenady Real Estate Group You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.
93.9 FM in Wenatchee
95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley
97.7 FMin Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville
98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy
101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros
106.3 FM in the Methow Valley
