AppleSox Host NightOwls On Hawaiian Night
/First Pitch: 5:35 p.m.
Park: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv
Listen: kcsyfm.com
Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: The AppleSox’ all-time leader in strikeouts and innings pitched toes the rubber for the final time in regular-season play this summer as Quincy Vassar makes his ninth start… He is 3-3 with a 3.18 ERA, 31 strikeouts, 14 walks and 42 hits over 42.1 innings this season… Vassar has won back-to-back starts and only allowed one run over his last 11 innings on the bump… He most recently allowed one run over five innings on Tuesday at Kelowna… This is Vassar’s second time facing Nanaimo this summer after surrendering five runs on seven hits, one walk and three strikeouts in four innings July 6 at Serauxmen Stadium…
Nanaimo Probable Pitcher: Aidan Boice makes his team-high-matching 10th start of the summer tonight… He is 2-4 with a 4.19 ERA, 29 strikeouts, 11 walks and 37 hits over 38.2 innings… Boice has completed five innings in a start three times, all of which have come over his last four games… The incoming sophomore at Salt Lake Community College is coming off allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, one walk and three strikeouts over five innings vs. Bellingham last Sunday…
Last Game: The AppleSox fell 10-1 last night in their second-most lopsided loss of the summer… Despite leading the WCL in runs and batting average, Wenatchee has been held to two-runs-or-less nine times including three instances in its last seven games (all losses)… Despite a nine-run loss last night the AppleSox’s run differential is plus-75…
Struggles On The Bump: Wenatchee’s pitching staff has surrendered 17 runs over its last two games after recording a shutout on Wednesday… The AppleSox’ 4.59 team ERA would be fourth-worst in team history if the season ended today… Wenatchee has lost by at least six runs in three of its last four losses…
If The Season Ended Today: The AppleSox would face the Victoria HarbourCats in the North Division Series… Victoria currently holds the second wild card in the North Division by possessing the fourth-best record in the North Division overall… The HarbourCats are game back of Wenatchee for first place in the second half… If they finish ahead of Wenatchee or tie with them in the second half then they will be the second seed in the Division Series and would not face the AppleSox… Wenatchee won four-of-six games vs. Victoria this summer and would face them in the postseason for a second straight season…
August Departures/Arrivals: The AppleSox have several key players departing but also a few new faces coming to town this weekend… Carson Boesel, Jackson Campbell, Caleb Costa, David James, Josh Mejia and Cannon Peery all concluded their summers after Wednesday’s game but Chase Hansen, Kaden Larson, Carson Ohland, Reece Vassar and Cooper Whitton will look to make their 2024 debut this weekend… Ohland and Whitton both played for the AppleSox last season while Larson is a pitching coach Mike Callia Lower Columbia College connection and Vassar is the younger brother of AppleSox southpaw Quincy Vassar…
30 Wins: For the second straight season and for the sixth time in franchise history the AppleSox have earned at least 30 wins in a season... It’s the first time that Wenatchee has hit 30 victories in back-to-back summers since 2011-12... The AppleSox will need to finish 4-1 over their final five games to match last summer’s 37-17 record for the second-most wins in a single season in team history...
First Half Champs: For the first time since the two-half playoff berths began being awarded in 2016 the AppleSox have won the North Division first half title and have locked up home-field advantage as the top seed in the first round of the playoffs… This is the 16th playoff berth in franchise history and the fourth in the last five seasons… The AppleSox and the Riverhawks both finished with 18-9 records in the first half but Wenatchee (+37) held a better run differential (+35)…
Stretch Run: Only four games remain in the regular season and the AppleSox are still pushing to lock up home-field advantage for the North Division Championship Game and the West Coast League Championship Game, if they can reach them... Wenatchee’s 33-17 mark is currently tops in the entire North Division and would earn them home-field advantage for the North Division Championship Game if the season ended today and they reached it... The AppleSox have the third-best record in the WCL behind Corvallis (38-12) and Portland (36-14)...