AppleSox Face Lefties In Independence Day Matchup

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox are back on the road after a quick stop home on Monday as they face the Port Angeles Lefties tonight at 7:15 at Civic Field. This is the second series between the AppleSox and the Lefties in the last week after Wenatchee took two-of-three from Port Angeles last week at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Tonight’s game is the first game of the AppleSox’ final three-game series of the first half of the 2023 season. At the conclusion of Wenatchee’s 27th game on Thursday a division winner for the first half will be decided. Wenatchee sits in first place in the North with an 18-6 record and is one game ahead of Bellingham. The AppleSox control their own destiny when it comes to clinching the North Division. Three AppleSox wins this week automatically clinch a playoff berth but Wenatchee can also clinch a playoff berth with just two wins even if Bellingham wins all three games as long as Wenatchee has a better run differential than Bellingham at the end of gameplay on Thursday. The AppleSox can also clinch with just one win if the Bells only take two of three games and Wenatchee, again, has a better run differential than Bellingham at the end of gameplay on Thursday.. The Victoria HarbourCats have already completed the first half with a 19-9 record and are automatically eliminated from winning the first half if Wenatchee wins once. The AppleSox hold the tiebreaker over the HarbourCats by virtue of sweeping them June 7-9.

The AppleSox are rolling in league play with six consecutive series victories. Wenatchee took two-of-three against the Edmonton Riverhawks over the weekend at RE/MAX Field thanks to two offensive outburst on Friday and Sunday. The AppleSox scored four-or-more runs in an inning three times, including putting up an eight-spot in the top of the third on Sunday. Nick Putnam led the way in that inning and the game with 4 RBI via a bases-clearing double in the third before hitting another RBI double in the ninth.

The weekend’s 26-run outburst came on the heels of scoring a combined five runs in three games against the Lefties last week. Wenatchee hit .186 (16-for-86) in the three games, including .147 with runners in scoring position. The struggles at the plate largely did not matter thanks to the AppleSox’ pitching staff, which shut out the Lefties last Thursday in a 1-0 series-clinching win. Wenatchee’s three shutout victories lead the West Coast League and its 3.10 ERA is fifth-best out of 16 teams.

In between their stop in Wenatchee and this series the Lefties were swept by the Nanaimo NightOwls at Serauxmen Stadium. Port Angeles is on a five-game losing streak and has scored 11 runs in that time. The Lefties are a league-worst 3-9 at home and have lost their last three home games after being swept by Kelowna June 23-25.

Garrett Gores tosses for Wenatchee looking to get in the win column in his final start of the summer. The AppleSox have won half of the four games that Gores has started but he has been on the hook for the loss in each of the last two. The Gonzaga commit pitched strong in his last outing, allowing three runs over five innings last Tuesday against Port Angeles but the AppleSox lost, 3-1. Gores is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA, 15 strikeouts, four walks and 20 hits over 20 innings. Tonight will be his 15th appearance on the mound in his second summer with the AppleSox.

Gores is opposed by Drew Standen. He earned the victory against the AppleSox in the game that Gores pitched in last week, only allowing one run on three hits over five innings. Standen struck out nine, one off his single-game high set on June 9 vs. Springfield. He is 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA, 37 strikeouts, seven walks and 16 hits over 22 innings.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group 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.

AppleSox Drop Final Non-League Game of 2023

Joey Pearson fired four scoreless innings in relief but the Wenatchee AppleSox fell to the DubSea Fish Sticks, 5-4, on Monday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Pearson entered in the third inning with nobody out and two aboard and allowed one run to score on a fielder’s choice dominated from there. The incoming sophomore at Lower Columbia struck out six, including four consecutive from the first out of the fourth to the first out of the fifth.

Wenatchee trailed 4-2 after three innings as DubSea scored in each of those frames. Marty Kaplan doubled in a run in the bottom of the second and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Sebastian David.

The AppleSox would not score again until the ninth inning. Pearson dominated in the middle innings before exiting after the sixth. The Fish Sticks scratched across an insurance run in the seventh that proved to be the game-winner when the AppleSox scored twice in the bottom of the ninth. David reached on an error and Brandham Ponce doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Mason Strong hit a sacrifice fly and MJ Sweeney singled in Ponce with two out but the tying run was left stranded at first.

Monday’s game was the most attended AppleSox game since July 3, 2018, with 1,998 fans in attendance. Wenatchee’s next home game is Friday at 6:35 against the Kamloops NorthPaws in the first game of the weekend set. Friday’s game is sponsored by Chelan PUD while Saturday is Armed Forces Night and Sunday is another Family Fun Sunday. Show your military ID at the gate on Saturday and get general admission seats for $5. Kids can run the bases after Sunday’s game and there will also be a live music performance from Chris Jones after the 1:05 p.m. game. Tickets for all three games can be purchased at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

The AppleSox are on the road again on Tuesday when they face the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 p.m. in the first game of a three-game set. Wenatchee can clinch a postseason berth by winning all three games or winning at least as many as the Bellingham Bells do before Thursday. Listen live to the action on kcsyfm.com.

AppleSox Win Sixth Straight Series

The Wenatchee AppleSox earned another series victory thanks to a 12-4 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks on Sunday afternoon at RE/MAX Field.

Wenatchee (18-6) scored eight runs in the third inning and never looked back from there. They only collected three hits in the inning but all directly produced runs as Austin Ohland and Mason Strong produced RBI singles and Nick Putnam hit a 3-RBI double in between. Putnam led all AppleSox hitters with 4 RBI by adding an RBI double in the ninth.

Samuel Round (1-0) allowed two runs over four innings in his first start in West Coast League action before Jadon Williams only gave up two unearned runs and struck out five over the final five innings.

Putnam drove in the most runs but the AppleSox got performances from all throughout their lineup. Strong recorded his second consecutive multi-hit game with a 2-for-5 day and hit .384 (5-for-13) in the series. Frankie Carney drew three of Wenatchee’s eight walks and scored multiple runs in a game for the seventh time this summer. Reeve Boyd also drew a pair of walks and collected two hits en route to scoring a team-high three runs. Izzy Lopez collected two hits and manufactured a run all on his own when he scored after a wild pitch and two balks following his two-out single in the fifth.

With the win and Bellingham’s loss to Victoria, the AppleSox sit a full game ahead of the Bells for first place in the North Division. The HarbourCats concluded their first half on Sunday and finished 19-8. One win would tie the AppleSox with them and Wenatchee would hold the tiebreaker due to sweeping a series against Victoria June 7-9. Bellingham, like Wenatchee, concludes the first half on Thursday. If the AppleSox match or best the number of wins that the Bells get in the next three games, then Wenatchee will win the North Division’s First Half title and clinch a postseason berth.

The AppleSox return home Monday night to host the DubSea Fish Sticks for Fireworks Night presented by Kenady Real Estate Group. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. with a fireworks show to follow. Tickets can be purchased now at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

AppleSox Fall On Canada Day

Mason Strong singled in a pair of runs in the first inning but the Wenatchee AppleSox fell to the Edmonton Riverhawks, 11-2, on Saturday night at RE/MAX Field.

The AppleSox scored first but suffered their second road loss of the season in 10 road games. The Riverhawks scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning and added three runs in the eighth to even up the weekend series.

Saturday’s loss marked the first time this season in the second game of a three-game series. The AppleSox were previously 7-0 in the middle game of a series.

Wenatchee looks to win its eighth series on Sunday when it faces Edmonton at 12:05 p.m. Gonzaga commit Sam Round makes his first start of the summer as the AppleSox look to improve to 3-1 in rubber matches.

AppleSox Face Riverhawks on Canada Day

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox continue their three-game road trip against the Edmonton Riverhawks with a 6:05 p.m. game tonight at RE/MAX Field.

It is Canada Day north of the border and the AppleSox and Riverhawks expect to play in front of a large crowd. A year ago on this date the Riverhawks shattered the West Coast League attendance record with 7,890 fans in attendance. This is the first time in the 23-year history of the AppleSox that they are playing in Canada on Canada Day.

The AppleSox won the series opener, 12-3, last night in front of 3,432 fans. Wenatchee trailed 1-0 after three innings before erupting for four runs in the fourth and then eight more runs over the final four innings. Ryan Martinez only allowed two runs (one earned) over 6.2 innings to earn the victory and give the AppleSox their third straight triumph.

Last night’s win also moved Wenatchee into a tie with Bellingham for first place in the North Division. Wenatchee (+58) holds the tiebreaker over Bellingham (+43) for first place in the North Division due to a higher run differential. The first half ends on Thursday and the team in first place will earn the top playoff spot in the North Division for the postseason. Bellingham plays Victoria this afternoon and lost to the HarbourCats, 6-4, last night.

Last night’s win gave the AppleSox their fourth different winning streak of at least three games. Wenatchee has twice recorded a five-game winning streak and would need to record their fourth sweep of the summer this weekend to match that. Wenatchee has thrived away from home, improving to 9-1 on the road with last night’s victory. The AppleSox’ best single-season road record was a 20-7 mark in 2011. That season is one of five seasons in team history that the AppleSox have posted a better road record than home record in league play (2000, 2004, 2009, 2014). Wenatchee is already three wins away from matching last summer’s road victory total with 17 games remaining away from home.

Bryce Johnson makes his second start of the summer tonight for the AppleSox. The incoming freshman at Oregon State made his debut on June 22, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts in four innings at Kamloops. All three runs scored in the first two innings before Johnson shut down the NorthPaws over the final two innings. The right-hander recorded a 0.37 ERA and struck out 110 over 76.1 innings in 14 games as a senior at Eastlake High School in Seattle this spring. He helped them win the 4A State Championship, was named All-KingCo 4A MVP and 1st Team Pitcher and SBLive Washington's 2023 High School Player of the Year.

Johnson is opposed by right-hander Brady Kobitowich, a second-year Riverhawks arm. The incoming sophomore at Niagara University is 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA, eight strikeouts, two walks and 14 hits over 13.2 innings in two previous starts. The Edmonton native allowed four runs over 7.2 innings, struck out 4, walked one and allowed 10 hits in his most recent start last Saturday. He recorded a 4.46 ERA with 38 strikeouts, 11 walks and 39 hits over 38.1 innings in 14 games (two starts) last summer. Kobitowich pitched against the AppleSox on June 24, 2022, allowing one run on two hits over 0.2 innings.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group 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.

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A new month is here and that means new wallpapers to keep our schedule handy! Check out more options at applesox.com/wallpapers

AppleSox Defeat Riverhawks, Move Into First Place

The Wenatchee AppleSox are tied with the Bellingham Bells for first place in the North Division after a 12-3 victory over the Edmonton Riverhawks on Friday night at RE/MAX Field.

Wenatchee (17-5) scored four runs in the fourth inning to take the lead for good and added five more runs in the seventh.

Ryan Martinez (2-0) allowed 10 hits in 6.1 innings but only allowed two runs (one earned) and struck out five. Chelan native Braiden Boyd earned his second save with 2.1 innings out of the bullpen. He allowed one run in the ninth but struck out two in his third appearance.

The first three hitters in the AppleSox order (Josh Williams, Frankie Carney and Easton Amundson) all recorded multi-hit games as did the ninth hitter, Ty Kennedy. Ten hitters came to the plate in the fourth inning as the AppleSox scored four runs thanks to more walks drawn (four) than hits collected (three). The AppleSox had been retired in order in each of the first three innings before exploding in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead.

Edmonton wouldn’t get another run until the seventh and even after that the AppleSox had an eight-run lead. Kennedy’s first hit of the game was a two-out RBI infield single that he beat out to bring home Carson Ohland from second in the sixth. In the five-run seventh Amundson doubled in a run before a hit by pitch and a walk, both with the bases loaded, plated the next two runs. A fielders choice and a double steal attempt that brought him Izzy Lopez from third plated the final two runs of the frame.

Kennedy singled and Williams doubled to open the eighth before Carney grounded out to plate Kennedy and Amundson singled in Williams for the AppleSox’ final two runs of the game.

Wenatchee (+58) has now won three straight and holds the tiebreaker over Bellingham (+43) for first place in the North Division due to a higher run differential. The first half ends on Thursday and the team in first place will earn the top playoff spot in the North Division for the postseason.

The AppleSox look to extend their winning streak to four games and attempt to win their seventh series of the season on Saturday night at 6:05. Listen live to the action on kcsyfm.com

AppleSox Fly To Alberta To Face Riverhawks

The Wenatchee AppleSox are back on the road tonight as they open up a three-game series against the Edmonton Riverhawks at 6:05 PST at RE/MAX Field.

The AppleSox are coming off a 1-0 victory over Port Angeles in the rubber match of the three-game set last night. Wenatchee scored its only run in the fourth inning on an Austin Ohland sacrifice fly. Toby Haarer (6.1 innings) and Jack Moffitt (2.2 innings) combined to record the AppleSox second shutout victory of the season.

Haarer’s effort last night was just the latest impressive performance from an AppleSox starting pitcher. Since June 17 they have a 2.03 ERA and have not allowed more than three runs per game in any of those eight games. Wenatchee starters have only surrendered 10 runs over the last 44.1 innings. Both of the team’s shutouts have come in that span and the team is 7-1 in this stretch.

Despite the series victory the AppleSox bats have gone cold. After scoring at least five runs in seven of the previous eight games from June 14-22 the AppleSox have combined to score five runs in the last three games. The one run scored last night matched a season low for the team, set two nights prior. The AppleSox batted .186 (16-for-86) in the series against Port Angeles and .147 (5-for-34) with runners on base, including 1-for-10 last night.

The AppleSox enter tonight’s action a game behind the Bellingham Bells for first place in the North Division. Bellingham is fresh off taking two-of-three at Edmonton and now visits the Victoria HarbourCats, who are only 2.5 games out of first place. The first half ends on Thursday and if the AppleSox tie with Bellingham or Victoria then the first tiebreaker is head-to-head record. This would not determine a Wenatchee-Bellingham tie since the two have not played each other yet, so the next tiebreaker that is applicable is the third one, which is run differential against all WCL opponents. The Bells (+53) hold a slight advantage over the AppleSox (+49) heading into the final day of June. Full playoff procedures can be viewed at westcoastleague.com/playoff-procedures.

Wenatchee sends Ryan Martinez to the mound for the series opener for his fourth start of the summer. The righty at Pacific made each of his first three starts of the season on Saturdays and did appear in last Saturday’s non-league game against the Northwest Star Academy, albeit in relief. He retired all six hitters that he faced in the fifth and sixth innings and struck out three. Martinez is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, 10 strikeouts, 3 walks and 13 hits over 18 innings in WCL action.

Halen Knoll starts for the Riverhawks in his sixth start of the season. The right-hander from the University of Mary is 3-2 with a 1.32 ERA, 29 strikeouts, eight walks and 30 hits allowed over 34 innings. Knoll made his first relief appearance on Wednesday when he pitched a scoreless eighth inning in the Edmonton’s eventual 5-4 win over Bellingham. Knoll had tossed 87 pitches over six innings on Sunday at Nanaimo but only needed 11 pitches against the four Bells batters that he faced Wednesday and earned the win.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group 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.

AppleSox Shut Out Lefties, Win Series

Toby Haarer and Jack Moffitt combined to stymie the Port Angeles Lefties as the Wenatchee AppleSox picked up a 1-0 win on Thursday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox’ second shutout win of the summer helped them earn their sixth series victory and improve to 16-5. They remain a game out of first place behind Bellingham after the Bells defeated the Edmonton Riverhawks on Thursday night.

Haarer (3-1) stifled the Lefties’ bats over 6.1 scoreless innings before departing with two men on and one out in the seventh. Moffitt entered and recorded a strikeout and induced a popout to get out of the jam. His only blemish in 2.2 scoreless innings was a two-out walk in the ninth that he stranded to earn his first save.

Austin Ohland plated the AppleSox’ only run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. Marcus Harrison drew a one-out walk before Nick Putnam doubled to put runners at second and third. Harrison tagged and easily scored from third to give the AppleSox the only lead that they would need.

Wenatchee (16-5) hits the road to face Edmonton at 6:05 p.m. on Friday in the first game of a three-game road trip. The AppleSox return home Monday night to host the DubSea Fish Sticks on Fireworks Night presented by Kenady Real Estate Group. First pitch is at 7:05 and tickets can be purchased at AppleSox.com/2023-schedule.

AppleSox Go For Series Win On Thirsty Thursday

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox look to make it back-to-back wins over the Port Angeles Lefties as they face them again at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox picked up their third walkoff victory of the season last night with a 3-2 triumph. A bases-loaded error brought home the winning run as Wenatchee bounced back from a 3-1 loss in the series opener on Tuesday.

Runs have been at a premium early in this head-to-head matchup with the two teams combining to score nine runs in the first two games of the series and they AppleSox have only scored four runs. To put it into context, the AppleSox have scored less than five runs 11 times this season. Two-of-the-11 times that they have failed to reach five runs have come in the last two days. For Port Angeles, last night was the 12th time that it was held to less than five runs.

Tonight is the AppleSox’ third rubber-match game of the season. Wenatchee previously lost a series decider to Springfield, 5-2, on June 8 before topping the Kelowna Falcons, 8-0, on June 18. The AppleSox are going for their six series victory of the season tonight in final game of their seventh series played.

The AppleSox sit one game back of the first-place Bellingham Bells in the North Division. The Bells’ six-game winning streak came to an end last night against Edmonton as they lost for the first time since June 20. The first half comes to an end in one week on July 6 and the AppleSox have eight more games before then to try and leapfrog the Bells to win the first half playoff spot.

Wenatchee sends Toby Haarer to the bump for the series-decider. He is 2-1 with a 3.30 ERA, 15 strikeouts, eight walks and 14 hits allowed over 16.1 innings in four games (three starts). He picked up the victory in Game 2 of the doubleheader against Kamloops last Thursday by only surrendering two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out five in four innings to help the AppleSox sweep the doubleheader and the three-game series against the NorthPaws.

Haarer will go up against Jack O’Brien, who is 2-0 with a 4.22 ERA, 18 strikeouts, 13 walks and 25 hits allowed over 27.2 innings in six games (five starts). O’Brien allowed three runs over five innings last Friday against Kelowna and suffered a no decision. He struck out four Falcons, walked four and allowed five hits. He has tossed at least three innings in ever game and has twice fired five-or-more innings.

Tonight’s game is a Thirsty Thursday at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. General admission tickets are just $3 and there will be discounts on adult beverages all game long. Purchase tickets at the gate or online now at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

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Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group 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.

AppleSox Earn Third Walkoff Win Of 2023

An error with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Wenatchee AppleSox a 3-2 victory over the Port Angeles Lefties on Wednesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Josh Williams hit a ground ball to the right side that was thrown away into left field in an attempt to turn a double play and end the inning but instead gave the AppleSox a walkoff win.

Hunter Gibson allowed two runs over six innings and struck out six in his final game of the summer. The incoming junior at Big Bend retired the side in order four times including setting down the first 10 hitters consecutively. Evan Canfield (2-0) dominated in the final three innings. The Edmonds right-hander’s only blemish from the seventh through the ninth innings was one walk and he added four strikeouts.

Wenatchee (15-5) and Port Angeles did not get on the board until the sixth inning. The Lefties recorded four consecutive hits with two outs to break up Gibson’s shutout bid. The AppleSox responded in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single by MJ Sweeney before Carson Ohland hit a shallow sacrifice fly to left that Brandham Ponce tagged and scored on.

It remained 2-2 until the ninth. Reeve Boyd led off with a single before Mason Strong pinch hit and laid down a successful sacrifice bunt to move Boyd into scoring position. Sebastian David was intentionally walked before Frankie Carmey also drew a wall to load up the bases. Josh Williams grounded a ball to the right side that needed to be turned into a double play to continue the game but was thrown away at second.

The AppleSox will attempt to win their sixth series on Thursday night as they face the Lefties again at 6:35. It’s a Thirsty Thursday with general admission tickets available for just $3 and adult beverage specials all game long. Purchase tickets at the gate or at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

AppleSox Look For A Win On a WINatchee Wednesday

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox look to get back in the win column tonight as they host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee lost for the first time in nearly two weeks last night despite two strong pitching performances. Garrett Gores only allowed three runs over five innings and Michael Cunneely struck out seven in four scoreless innings in relief. Tuesday’s loss was Wenatchee’s first since June 16 against Kelowna.

Last night’s loss dropped the AppleSox to two games back of the Bellingham Bells for first place in the North Division with eight games to go in the first half. Bellingham won its sixth consecutive game with a 10-3 win at Edmonton last night. The Victoria HarbourCats also lost last night, falling 5-4 to the Kelowna Falcons in 10 innings, and remain three games back of first place and a game behind the AppleSox.

Wenatchee will attempt to get the bats going tonight after its singular run last night, a season-low through 19 games. The AppleSox did out-hit the Lefties, 7-6, but struck out 13 times, matching a single-game high set on June 8 against Springfield at home. Wenatchee enters tonight with the fifth-best batting average in the WCL (.260) and have scored the third-most runs (125).

The two-longest hitting streaks in the West Coast League came to an end last night as AppleSox’ designated hitter Easton Amundson could not stretch his streak to 16 games while Lefties’ second baseman Roberto Nunez failed to reach 20 games. For both players, last night was only the second game this summer that either of them failed to pick up a hit.

Hunter Gibson makes his second start of the summer tonight for the AppleSox. He dazzled in his summer debut on Father’s Day, firing six shutout innings with six strikeouts, three hits and one walk. Gibson was named to the All-NWAC East Region First Team this spring after recording a 2.67 ERA with 74 strikeouts over 16 games with Big Bend. The Ellensburg native appeared in 10 games with the AppleSox last season and is committed to play at Northern Colorado this fall.

Shea Blanchard counters for Port Angeles in his second start of the summer. He tossed four innings against Nanaimo last Thursday in his first start of the summer. The incoming freshman at Hawaii Pacific allowed one run on three hits, did not issue any walks and struck out two. Blanchard previously tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, two walks and a hit at Kamloops on June 17 in his Lefties debut.

Tonight’s game is a WINatchee Wednesday. Just by attending the game you are eligible to win prizes to local businesses. Purchase tickets for tonight’s game at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group 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.

AppleSox Stymied By Lefties Pitching For First Loss In Nearly Two Weeks

The Wenatchee AppleSox dropped the series opener against the Port Angeles Lefties, 3-1, on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Michael Cunneely delivered a dominant relief outing with seven strikeouts in four shutout innings. Both figures marked season-highs for Cunneely and also the third time that he pitched three-or-more innings. He retired each of the final nine hitters that he faced in order.

Garrett Gores (0-2) turned in a solid outing with just three runs given up over five innings but all three runs came on two different home runs. Trent Jackson hit a one-out solo homer in the first inning and then reached base again two innings later before B.Y. Choi hit a two-run homer to cap the scoring.

The AppleSox briefly tied the game up in the bottom of the second when Frankie Carney turned a soft ground ball up the middle into a two-out double and then scored on an infield single by Reeve Boyd. Carney recorded three hits for the second time this summer.

Wenatchee looks to even up the mid-week set against Port Angeles at 6:35 Wednesday night. It’s another WINatchee Wednesday at the ballpark. All fans who attend the game are eligible to win prizes from local businesses just by attending the game. Gates open at 5:30 and tickets can be purchased at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

AppleSox Host Lefties On $2 Off Tuesday

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties tonight in the first game of their final homestand of the first half at 6:35 at Paul Thomas St. Stadium. The AppleSox sit a game back of the Bellingham Bells for first place in the North Division with nine games remaining in the first half. The team with the best record in the North and South Divisions at the end of play on July 6 will receive a postseason berth. Wenatchee is trying to win a first-half division title for the first time in franchise history since the two halves model was adopted by the West Coast League in 2016. The AppleSox have earned two playoff berths since then (2019 and 2022) and both instances came via winning the second half.

Six-of-the-nine remaining games in the first half are against tonight’s opponent, Port Angeles. The Lefties are 10 games out of first place with a 7-14 record after being swept by the Kelowna Falcons this past weekend. Prior to that Port Angeles had won five of its last six games with a sweep of Kamloops on the road before taking two-of-three vs. Nanaimo. The loss against Kelowna on Sunday marked the third time this summer that the Lefties had been swept.

All eyes will be on Easton Amundson and Roberto Nunez this week as both hitters attempt to extend their league-best hitting streaks. Amundson has hits in each of his last 15 games and leads the WCL with six home runs. He is batting (A ERAGE HERE) over his streak, which began on June 7. Nunez was hitless in his first game of the summer but has rattled off at least one hit per night over the last 19 games for the longest hitting streak in the WCL. Eight of the games have been multi-hit efforts, including a 5-for-6 day against Kamloops on June 18.

Garrett Gores starts for the AppleSox in the series opener in his fourth start of the summer. The incoming junior at Gonzaga is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA, 11 strikeouts, 2 walks and 15 hits over 15 innings. Gores tossed a season-high six innings in his last start on June 16 against Kelowna. He ran into trouble in his final inning on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits in the frame.

Port Angeles sends Drew Standen to the mound for his fifth game of the summer. The right-hander from the New Jersey Institute of Technology is 0-3 with a 5.29 ERA and is making his fourth start tonight. His most recent appearance was last Wednesday, when he allowed three runs on four hits, two walks and six strikeouts over five innings. Standen suffered the tough-luck loss despite matching his season-high for innings pitched.

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Tonight’s game is the AppleSox’ first $2 Off Tuesday since the home opener. Take $2 off all tickets and select concession items. Tickets are available for as affordable as $5 and can be purchased at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group 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.

AppleSox Improve To 3-0 In 2023 Non-League Play

The Wenatchee AppleSox cashed in on 11 errors by their opponent to earn a 10-4 victory over the Northwest Star Academy on Saturday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox were being no-hit until the sixth inning but poured it on late, scoring in each of their final four innings. Trent Liolios fired 2.2 scoreless innings and struck out four to earn the win in his second non-league appearance on the mound.

The Northwest Star Academy scored three times in the top of the seventh to tie the game, 4-4, but the AppleSox opened the bottom of the inning with four consecutive hits to take the lead again for good. Mason Strong drove in the game-winning run with a pinch-hit single before Josh Williams gave the AppleSox some cushion with a two-run double.

AppleSox pitching struck out a combined 31 hitters in the two wins against the Nighthawks, with 13 of them coming Saturday. Keegan Adams punched out four hitters while only allowing one run in the first three innings. Ryan Martinez retired all six hitters that he faced the next two innings while striking out half of them. Jhett Jacquot struck out two hitters in the sixth and seventh.

The AppleSox return to league play on Tuesday night after a pair of off days on Sunday and Monday. Bellingham defeated Victoria for a second straight night on Saturday and the AppleSox remain a half-a-game out of first place in the North Division.

Nine games remain in the AppleSox’ first-half schedule as they continue to push for the first-half division title. Six of those games are against the Port Angeles Lefties beginning Tuesday night at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. It’s a $2 Off Tuesday with tickets and select food and drinks $2 off. Tickets are available for purchase at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

Strong, Sweeney and Liolios Deliver Big Nights At The Plate In AppleSox' Win

Mason Strong, MJ Sweeney and Trent Liolios all drove in multiple runs as the Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Northwest Star Academy, 12-5, on Friday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Strong led the way with 5 RBI thanks to a pair of doubles and a single with men on. Sweeney homered in the first inning before delivering two different RBI singles. Liolios also had a three-hit night with three singles to boost his batting averaged to .556 in two non-league games.

Sweeney’s two-out blast in the bottom of the first was the first blow before all nine hitters came to the plate in the second inning as the AppleSox scored four times to take a 5-0 lead into the third. Wenatchee added five runs in the bottom of the seventh to improve to 2-0 in non-league action.

AppleSox pitching combined to strike out 18 hitters. Sam Round got his first start in any type of game and retired the side in order in each of the first two innings. He surrendered a run in the third inning but struck out five. Joey Pearson punched out two in the two innings before Braiden Boyd followed with six strikeouts in three inning. Jake Putnam recorded all three of his outs in the ninth inning via strikeouts.

The AppleSox wrap up the series on Saturday as they host the Northwest Star Academy at 6:35. It’s College Night and fans who wear their favorite college apparel can save $2 off general-admission tickets when purchased at the gate.

AppleSox Pick Up Third Sweep Of 2023

The Wenatchee AppleSox swept a doubleheader against the Kamloops NorthPaws with 9-6 and 9-5 victories on Thursday at Norbrock Stadium.

Wenatchee (14-4) won its fourth and fifth consecutive games to improve remain a half-a-game back of first place in the North Division. This is the second different time that the AppleSox have won five straight games in 2023 and their eight wins in nine road games put them four away from matching last summer’s total.

Marcus Harrison led the way in Game 1 of the doubleheader by driving in a pair on three hits. Josh Williams proved to be an impossible out, reaching base in all four plate appearances and scoring three times. Bryce Johnson (1-0) allowed three runs, all in the first two innings, but retired seven-of-the-final-eight hitters that he faced to earn the victory in his AppleSox debut.

Williams continued his impressive day with a 2-for-5 and 2 RBI effort in Game 2. David recorded his first multi-hit game of the summer with a 3-for-4 day while switching from shortstop in Game 1 to second base in Game 2. Nick Putnam walked twice and doubled in a run in his first WCL game. Toby Haarer (2-1) only surrendered two runs in four innings and struck out five in his third start of the summer.

The AppleSox came out of the gate red-hot in Game 1, scoring four times in the top of the first before the NorthPaws had come to hit. Harrison and Easton Amundson recorded back-to-back RBI doubles. Amundson hit a double in the second game as well to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. MJ Sweeney added an opposite-field RBI single later before Carson Ohland reached on a fielders choice and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

The NorthPaws scored two runs in the bottom of the first but the AppleSox never led by less than two runs after that. Wenatchee scored twice in the second, twice in the third and once in the fourth. Harrison and Sebastian David recorded RBI singles in the third and Austin Ohland singled in Sweeney in the fourth.

The AppleSox used another big inning early on in Game 2 to take a commanding lead early. Wenatchee sent all nine to the plate in the top of the second inning despite no runs scoring on an RBI base hit. Izzy Lopez grounded a ball to third with the bases loaded that seemed destined to be a double play ball but instead scored two runners on an error. A Williams’ groundout two batters later got the other run in to make it 3-0, AppleSox.

Putnam’s two-out RBI double in the third scored another before Kamloops cut the deficit to two immediately after. The AppleSox gained some breathing room with a two-spot in the fifth on an RBI single by Williams with two outs and a wild pitch to plate Lopez from third.

The NorthPaws got one run back in a solo home run in the sixth and scored twice in the seventh to make things interesting but a three-run Wenatchee top of the seventh effectively sealed the game. Mason Strong hit a sacrifice to left to score David from third, Sweeney doubled the opposite way to plate another and Williams came home on a balk.

The AppleSox return home on Friday night for a 6:35 game against the Northwest Star Academy. It’s the first-of-two non-league games in as many days against the Nighthawks and Friday’s game is Bark In The Park Night. Fans who purchase a ticket to the game can bring their dog in for free. Saturday is College Night and fans who wear their favorite college apparel can purchase $5 general-admission tickets at the gate.

Doubleheader Wraps Up Road Trip To Kamloops

The Wenatchee AppleSox take on the Kamloops NorthPaws at 4 p.m. this afternoon in a doubleheader at Norbrock Stadium.

Both games will be seven innings. The doubleheader is being played today due to Tuesday’s game being rained out.

Wenatchee is coming off its third consecutive victory with a 3-0 win on Wednesday night. Easton Amundson broke a scoreless tie with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth and Mason Strong added a two-out RBI single later in the inning. Quincy Vassar did not allow any runs in six innings to earn his first win of the summer and Cam Hoiland earned his first save with a scoreless seventh, eighth and ninth.

Vassar’s outing was just the latest impressive effort from an AppleSox starter. Wenatchee starting pitching has not allowed a run since the sixth inning last Friday, spanning the last 19 innings. AppleSox starters have tossed at least five innings in 13-of-16 games this summer and the pitching staff’s 2.86 team ERA is second-best in the West Coast League.

The AppleSox send Bryce Johnson to the mound to start Game 1 in his first game for the AppleSox. The incoming freshman at Oregon State graduated from Eastlake High School and helped them capture the 4A state title this spring with a 0.37 ERA and 110 strikeouts over 76.1 innings. Johnson was named All-KingCo 4A MVP, 1st Team All-KingCo 4A Pitcher and SBLive Washington's 2023 High School Player of the Year. The Seattle native was also named Baseball Northwest's third-best prospect on May 12th from the Class of 2023.

Tony Haarer gets the ball for Game 2 for his third start and fourth appearance with the AppleSox. Haarer is 1-1 with a 2.91 ERA over 12.1 innings. He has struck out 10, walked seven and allowed 10 hits. Haarer is looking for a smooth second inning after troubles in it the last two weeks. He allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits in the second stanza on June 8 before surrounding three runs (one earned) on five hits in the second inning on June 15.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage begins at 3:40 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.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast to hear a recap of last night’s game, highlights and interviews with Quincy Vassar, Cam Hoiland, Mitch Darlington and Trent Liolios. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Earn Second Straight Shutout Win

Quincy Vassar tossed six shutout innings and Easton Amundson hit his league-leading sixth home run of the summer as the Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Kamloops NorthPaws, 3-0, on Wednesday night at Norbrock Stadium.

Amundson broke a scoreless tie with a two-run blast in the top of the sixth to homer for the third straight game and for the fourth time in the last five games. Mason Strong added a two-RBI single later in the inning as Wenatchee (11-4) earned its third straight win.

Vassar (1-1) allowed a hit to the leadoff hitter off the bottom of the first and then proceeded to not allow any the rest of the way. He struck out five, walked two and hit one batter and tossed three different 1-2-3 innings. Vassar’s effort marked the third consecutive scoreless outing by an AppleSox starter in league play. Wenatchee starting pitchers have not allowed a run in their last 19 innings.

Cam Hoiland entered with one on in the seventh and proceeded to get the final nine outs to record his first save in his first relief outing.

The AppleSox conclude their first trip north of the border in 2023 with a doubleheader on Thursday. Both games will be seven innings and the first one begins at 4 p.m. Wenatchee returns to Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium on Friday night to face the Northwest Star Academy at 6:35. It’s Bark In The Park Night and fans can bring their dog to the game for free. Tickets are on sale at applesox.com/2023-schedule

Tuesday's Night Game From Kamloops Rained Out

The Wenatchee AppleSox’ first game of a three-game set against the Kamloops NorthPaws scheduled for Tuesday night has been rained out.

The two teams will open up the series at Norbrock Stadium on Wednesday night at 6:35. The mid-week set concludes with a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. Both games will be seven innings and the twin bill will begin at 4 p.m. All three games of the series can be heard on 93.9 FM in Wenatchee and on kcsyfm.com worldwide.

The AppleSox return home on Friday night to face the Northwest Star Academy at 6:35. It’s Bark In The Park Night and fans who purchase a ticket to the game can bring their dog to the ballpark for free. Tickets are on sale at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

AppleSox Travel North Of The Border For First Time In 2023

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox make their first road trip north of the border as they face the Kamloops NorthPaws tonight at 6:35 at Norbrock Stadium. The AppleSox and the NorthPaws are off to very different starts to the summer with Wenatchee sitting a half-a-game out of first place in the North while Kamloops is in last place. The AppleSox won their fourth series of the summer by taking two-of-three from Kelowna this past weekend while Kamloops dropped to seven games out of first place by being swept by Port Angeles.

Wenatchee wrapped up its homestand with a non-league victory on Monday over the Redmond Dudes to produce a 3-1 effort in a four-game stretch at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. A few newcomers got to make their mark in their first game with the team as Nick Putnam led the newcomers with two different RBI singles. two different RBI singles. Josh Williams and MJ Sweeney also collected hits in their first game with the AppleSox.

Easton Amundson and Brandham Ponce both got well deserved days off on Monday. Amundson has played in all but one of the AppleSox' first 15 games in WCL play and leads the league with five home runs, 17 RBI and a .707 slugging percentage while his 18 runs and two triples are tied for the most in the league. Amundson’s 1.115 OPS leads all WCL players with at least 50 plate appearances. He was named WCL Player of the Week on Monday after batting .291 (7-for-24) with a double, two triples, three home runs and 10 RBI in six games last week.

Ponce isn't far behind Amundson in terms of production and has regularly batted after Amundson, giving the AppleSox arguably the best combination of a no. 3 hitter and a cleanup hitter in the WCL. He arrived in Wenatchee on June 6 and has appeared in every league game since then. Ponce is on a 10-game hitting streak and is feasting on right-handed pitching, holding a .429 batting average (12-for-28) through 11 games. He has 15 RBI and is the only other AppleSox player with double-digit runs driven in besides Amundson.

Quincy Vassar makes his third start of the summer for the AppleSox in the series opener. Vassar last faced the NorthPaws on Aug. 10, 2022, in game 2 of the North Division Series as the AppleSox defeated the NorthPaws, 17-2, at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium to sweep the first-round matchup. Vassar matched his season high with eight strikeouts while allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk in seven innings. The Brewster native is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA in two games this summer and is coming off allowing two runs in five innings a week ago against the Springfield Drifters. Vassar has walked at least four hitters in each of his first two games after issuing three free passes once in 10 games last summer.

Kamloops has not announced a probable pitcher.

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.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast below to hear interviews with Nick Putnam, Mason Strong and Sebastian David. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.