AppleSox Host Victoria For First Time Since 2019
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The Wenatchee AppleSox welcome the Victoria HarbourCats to Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium at 6:35 p.m. for the first time since the 2019 West Coast League Playoffs.
With the 2020 season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian teams not participating in the 2021 season and the only three games between the two teams last season taking place in British Columbia, this is the first time in four years that the HarbourCats have visited the Apple Capital of the World. Wenatchee defeated Victoria, 5-1, on Aug. 13 in Game 1 of the North Division Series. Current AppleSox pitching coach Mike Callia tossed 1.2 scoreless innings in relief for the HarbourCats that night.
The AppleSox are looking to get back on track after dropping two-of-three games to the Springfield Drifters in their first home series of the season. Wenatchee is 4-2 now after opening up the season with a three-game sweep on the road at Bend.
The AppleSox walked off the Drifters on Wednesday night but were doomed by three errors last night. Easton Amundson left a mark on fans by homering twice, including a 425-foot blast over the right-field fence in the bottom of the first inning on Thursday. The AppleSox have homered in four consecutive games, matching their longest stretch from last season (June 28-July 1), and also lead the West Coast League with four home runs.
Victoria comes to town as the only undefeated team remaining in the West Coast League. The HarbourCats swept the Kamloops NorthPaws before taking all three games against the Walla Walla Sweets in a six-games-in-six-days stretch. Four-of-their-six wins have been by margins of four runs or more, including all three wins against the Sweets.
Perhaps the most impressive stat from the HarbourCats' hot start are their 27 steals, which are 12 more than the next-closest team (Springfield). Victoria just broke the WCL single-season stolen base record last season with a 149 bags swiped and have led the WCL in stolen bases in each of head coach Todd Haney's first two seasons at the helm.
The AppleSox send Garrett Gores to the bump for his second start of the summer. He gave up three runs in the bottom of the first on Opening Night last Friday but quieted the Bend Elks in the ensuing three innings. He has batted as the AppleSox designated hitter in each of the last five games and is hitting .316 with a home run and 4 RBI. Gores was named an ABCA/Rawlings All-American earlier this week after winning NWAC MVP at Spokane Falls. He finished sixth in NWAC in batting average, fourth in ERA and second in strikeouts.
The HarbourCats will toss Cam Caley in his second start of the summer. The incoming sophomore at Baylor debuted last Saturday, tossing four innings and allowing two runs (one earned) in four innings. He struck out seven, walked three and allowed one hit against Kamloops. Caley was 0-6 with a 8.63 ERA in 15 games (nine starts) this spring. He struck out 42 hitters and allowed 28 walks along with 47 hits.
It’s Youth Baseball Weekend and all kids and coaches who wear their youth baseball jerseys can save $2 off general admission tickets and get in for just $5. Youth Baseball Weekend ticket discounts can only be accepted at the gate and not online. Tickets can still be purchased at regular pricing of as low as $7 at applesox.com/2023-schedule.
Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage begins at 6:10 p.m. 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
All West Coast League games can also be watched on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv.
