Walk Off Winners

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WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (5-2, 3-2) were led by outstanding pitching Tuesday afternoon. While the defense struggled at times, once the AppleSox bats got going in the eighth and ninth innings, the Kitsap BlueJackets (4-1, 4-1) couldn’t hold on to a 4-0 lead.

For the first six innings of Tuesday’s game, the AppleSox and BlueJackets were locked in a classic pitchers’ battle. Starting with a limited pitch count, Brandon Bailey gave the socks three and two thirds innings of solid zero run baseball. The BlueJackets starter Sam Sheehan dueled back and forth with Bailey. Both pitchers worked out of jams with runners in scoring position.

By the fifth inning, both teams turned to their bullpen and each starter was tabbed with a no decision. The score stayed tied at zero until the top of the seventh inning.

While it looked as though the AppleSox would retire the BlueJackets one-two-three in the seventh, a two out error by Nick Valaika gave the BlueJackets new life. They ended up knocking around three runs off Calvin LeBrun in the inning, although all three were unearned. Calvin essentially pitched lights-out for the Sox and was later relieved by Tyler Frost, who joined the team Monday night.

The Sox couldn’t score in their half of the seventh and Kitsap added another run in the top of the eighth.

Headed to the bottom of the eighth, third baseman Mike Livingston said he just tried to clear his mind and have a good at bat.

With Cooper Elliott on base following a lead off walk, Livingston drove a Ryan Taylor pitch over the wall in right field. It was his first home run of the season and it provided a jolt of energy to the Sox batting order.

Tyler Frost returned to the mound in the top of the ninth and retired the BlueJackets one-two-three, while hurling the AppleSox tenth team strikeout to move things to the bottom half of the inning.

The table was finally set for the AppleSox best frame of the season. Trenton Brooks led off the inning with a double. Nick Brooks then laced in a single for Wenatchee. With two runners already on base and nobody out, Ty Jackson drove a double off the wall in right field, scoring T. Brooks and moving N. Brooks to third.

The BlueJackets intentionally walked Cooper Elliott to load up the bases and create a force out at any base.

Still trailing by one, Livingston came back to the plate and was struck in the shoulder by a pitch that bounced in the dirt. This miscue brought home Tanner Nishioka from third, who was pinch running for Nick Brooks.

With the game tied, the bases loaded and nobody out, temporary catcher Taylor Johnson stepped up to the plate with a chance to win it for the Sox. He knocked a pitch from Bryon Baker back up the middle of the box to walk it off for Wenatchee.

The single scored Tyler Frost, who stepped in as the runner for Jackson.

After the game, Johnson joked that the walk off single might’ve been a bit better than posing for a picture with Ms. East Cascades, following the ceremonial first pitch in game one of the series.

Certainly, Tuesday’s win will be one the AppleSox will remember as the temporary catcher cemented a permanent mark on the AppleSox season.

The rubber match of the series is set for Wednesday night at 7:05pm as right-hander Colton Loomis (1-0) will take to the mound to face off with left handed Ryan Mose of the BlueJackets.

                                           

KIT      0 0 0   0 0 0   3 1 0      4   7   0

WEN   0 0 0   0 0 0   0 2 3      5  10  3

 

WP – Tyler Frost

LP – Bryon Baker

S –

BlueJackets Blow Away Sox

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WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Kitsap BlueJackets (4-0) gave the Wenatchee AppleSox (4-2, 2-2) all they could handle Monday night, running away from Paul Thomas Sr. Field with a 14-4 win.

The BlueJackets outscored the Sox by a substantial margin in the middle three innings. Wenatchee also totaled five errors on Monday which hurt the AppleSox defense.

One bright spot for the Sox came in the appearance of reliever Drew Rasmussen, who was making his first appearance with the club. He struck out five of the first six batters he faced and was later lifted to reduce his pitch count, making him available in the near future for the AppleSox out of the bullpen or possibly as a starter.

The Sox have an early game Tuesday, with Brandon Bailey up on the bump. First pitch is set for 11:05am.

                                     

KIT      2 2 0   2 3 5   0 0 0      14 13 1

WEN   0 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 3      4   14 5

 

WP – Josh Moss

LP – Ty Jackson

S –

AppleSox Battle BlueJackets

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APPLESOX SERIES NOTES VS KITSAP

The Wenatchee AppleSox (4-1, 2-1) welcome the Kitsap BlueJackets (3-0,3-0) to Paul Thomas Sr. Field for the first WCL home games of the 2014 season. The BlueJackets and Sox will be opening their only series of the season, Monday at 7:05. The AppleSox are entering their 15th season (10th in the WCL) and are 467-250 (.651) under skipper Ed Knaggs, who is in his 14th season as head coach of the AppleSox club.T he AppleSox have achieved a winning record in all 14 seasons during Knaggs’ tenure. Knaggs is assisted by AJ Proszek and Jason Krohn.

Tuesday's game is the only odd start (11:05 am) as it is "Working Together Celebrating Foothills Day" at the ballpark. The Sox will welcome the staff, teachers, and students of Foothills Middle School for a day at the ballpark.

The three-game series with Yakima will have live stats for all games provided by pointstreak.com. All games will have live radio coverage on KCSY Sunny 93.9 FM in Wenatchee and on various translators throughout North Central Washington (Lake Chelan Valley 95.3 FM, Okanogan Valley 101.9 FM, Methow Valley [Twisp-Winthrop] 106.3 FM)...audio is also available at applesox.com/listen-live. AppleSox play by play broadcaster Trevor Williams will call the action. Pregame shows for Monday and Wednesday's games start at 6:45 pm and Tuesday's pregame will air at 10:45 am. KWCC-TV (LocalTel cable channel 12 or Charter cable channel 19) will televise games, allowing fans to hear the Sunny FM radio broadcast and simultaneously watch the animated playbook provided by pointstreak. AppleSox Baseball provides updates on Twitter on @AppleSox and via Instagram by searching: AppleSox.

 

 

Sox Hold On For 3-2 Win and Take Series

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YAKIMA, Wash. – For the Wenatchee AppleSox (4-1,2-1), a run one lead, salvaged in the seventh inning of Sunday’s rubber match with the Yakima Valley Pippins (1-2, 1-2) ended up being enough.

The Sox earned their first one-run victory of the Season Sunday and moved to 2-1 in WCL play. The two runs scored by the Pippins were allowed in the first inning. One run came off an error and a batter was also hit by a pitch in the inning, however, a double play ball ended up being the saving grace for Wenatchee.

The AppleSox chipped away at the 2-1 deficit in the fifth inning and later went ahead in the seventh when they added two to the box score and Nick Brooks came up with a double.

In the eighth, Calvin LeBrun held the score for the Sox (in his second inning out of the ‘pen). Zack Haggett came on in the ninth and shut the door for the Sox, picking up his first save of the season.

The AppleSox starter, Ian Buckles, went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits. He picked up his first win of the season after finishing second on the Klamath Falls Gems in wins just a year ago.

The Pippins were led at the plate by their catcher Jake Roberts. He was 3-5 with two doubles

The Sox return home, Monday, to face the Kitsap BlueJackets. First pitch is set for 7:05pm.

                                        

WEN   0 0 2   0 1 0   2 0 0      3   8   1

YAK    2 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0      2   8   6

 

WP – Ian Buckles

LP – Brandon Williams

S – Zack Haggett

Loomis And Wells Hold Pippins While Offense Explodes

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YAKIMA, Wash. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (3-1, 1-1) and the Yakima Valley Pippins (1-1, 1-1) found themselves locked in a tight 2-1 ballgame headed to the ninth, but the score wouldn’t hold as the AppleSox ran away late while rattling off 5 earned runs with two outs in the top half of the inning.

The once one run game ended 7-1 at Yakima County Stadium. While the scoreboard tends to point towards the offense, pitching ended up being pivotal for the Sox on Saturday night.

AppleSox starter Colton Loomis pitched six innings of one run baseball out of the gates for the guys from Wenatchee. He gave up just three hits through the first six frames.

Hunter Wells was just as impressive, coming out of the bullpen to start the seventh for the Sox. He would carry the torch all the way to the end, picking up the save over three innings of work. He allowed no hits over his three innings, walked two and struck out four.

Altogether the one-two punch that was Loomis and Wells combined for nine strikeouts and left the Pippins frustrated for most of the night. The lone run for Yakima Valley came thanks to a sixth inning triple for Taylor Snyder. He was brought home on an infield groundout later in the inning.

After the first two batters were retired in the top of the ninth for the AppleSox, Sam Brown worked a tremendous at bat off of Pippins reliever Hugo Lemus. The Pippins elected to walk the AppleSox number three hitter, Trenton Brooks and face an under-the-weather Tanner Nishioka who took over as a pinch runner for Nick Brooks in the eighth.

Nishioka sent a clutch single over the head of the Pippins first baseman and Brown came around to score, giving the Sox a 3-1 cushion. However, they weren’t done in the ninth.

Ty Jackson sent a long double off the glove of Jake Roberts in center field. That scored T. Brooks and Nishioka. Cooper Elliott followed the extra base hit with the AppleSox first home run of the season, when he lifted one over a 20 foot wall in right field. Suddenly, the Sox had a 7-1 lead.

Wells stayed on and finished things in the ninth as the AppleSox won their first WCL game of the season.

Andrew Woods was a tough luck loser Saturday, after only surrendering one run and four hits over six innings of work.

The rubber match of the series is set for Sunday  night at 5:05p. Brandon Williams will take to the mound for the Pippins, while the AppleSox counter with Ian Buckles.                             

 

WEN   0 0 2   0 0 0   0 0 5      7  11  1

YAK    0 0 0   0 0 1   0 0 0      1   3   5

 

WP – Colton Loomis

LP – Andrew Woods

S – Hunter Wells

Baseball Blurbs by Bruce

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Today's Baseball Blurbs PDF Version

Yakima Valley Pippins 4, Wenatchee 3 last night.
 
Wenatchee at Yakima Valley Pippins 7:05 tonight.
 
One Run Games
AppleSox games decided by a single run (like last night) are fairly common.  In fact it has happened three of every 10 games the club has played in 14-plus seasons.  Wenatchee has won 134 of them and lost 94 (58.2%).
 
MLB Draft
Three former AppleSox were selected in the first 10 rounds of Major League Baseball’s draft.
Taylor Sparks, 2nd round, 58th pick to the Cincinnati Reds.  Univ. of California-Irvine.  AppleSox in 2012.
Connor Spencer, 8th round, 242nd pick to the New York Yankees.  Univ. of California-Irvine.  AppleSox in 2013.
Andrew Rohrbach, 9th round, 263rd pick to Colorado Rockies,  Cal State-Long Beach. AppleSox in 2013.
Both Sparks and Spencer were named this year to the Wenatchee’s all-time team covering the team’s first 14 years.
 
 
 June 7 Games
 A new experience for Wenatchee.  In 14 seasons this is their first “away” contest on the seventh of June.  On their home turf they have done well...5-1 overall, 3-1 in the league and have a three-game win streak.
 
Standings
East: Yakima Valley 1-0, Kelowna 0-0, Wenatchee 0-1, Walla Walla 0-1
West: Cowlitz 1-0, Bellingham 1-0, Victoria 0-0, Kitsap 0-0
South: Bend 1-0, Klamath Falls 0-0, Medford 0-1, Corvallis 0-1

Pippins Spoil Sox Road Opener

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Courtesy of AppleSox Communications

YAKIMA, Wash. – The Yakima Valley Pippins (1-0, 1-0) brought baseball back to the city of Yakima on Friday night, and they did so by posting a 4-3 victory over the Wenatchee AppleSox (2-1, 0-1).

Wenatchee jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning of Friday’s game and would later reclaim a 2-1 advantage after the Pippins tied things in the second. Ultimately, a three run fourth inning for the Pippins ended up being the difference in the final tally of the two teams’ WCL-opener.

The AppleSox had a chance to mount a comeback on the Pippins, when Mitch Yada walked the bases loaded with nobody out in the eighth. Pippins manager Marcus McKimmy went to the bullpen and called on sophomore right-hander Connor Lau, who rose to the occasion, limiting the AppleSox to one run on a Trenton Brooks sacrifice fly.

Lau retired the AppleSox in the ninth after striking out the first two hitters he faced. Caleb Wood singled through the right side and Tanner Nishioka walked, however, the Sox couldn’t quite complete the comeback bid.

Saturday, Wenatchee will look to even the series as they place Hunter Wells up on the hill to face Andrew Woods at 7:05pm at Yakima County Stadium.

                                            

WEN   1 0 1   0 0 0   0 1 0    3   4   1 

YAK    0 1 0   3 0 0   0 0 X   4   6   1

 

WP – Reed Garrett

LP – Tom Zarosinski

S – Connor Lau

AppleSox Ready to Hit Road and Battle Pippins

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AppleSox at Pippins - Series Notes

The Wenatchee AppleSox (2-0, 0-0) will take to the road this weekend to face the Yakima Valley Pippins (0-0, 0-0).

The Pippins are making their WCL debut tonight and a large crowd is expected at Yakima County Stadium.

The three-game series with Yakima will have live stats for all games provided by pointstreak.com. All games will have live radio coverage on KCSY Sunny 93.9 FM in Wenatchee and on various translators throughout North Central Washington (Lake Chelan Valley 95.3 FM, Okanogan Valley 101.9 FM, Methow Valley [Twisp-Winthrop] 106.3 FM) Audio is also available at applesox.com/listen-live. AppleSox play by play broadcaster Trevor Williams will call the action.

Pregame shows for Friday and Saturday’s games will start at 6:52 and 6:45 p.m. Sunday’s pregame will start at 4:45 p.m. KWCC-TV (LocalTel cable channel 12 or Charter cable channel 19) will televise games, allowing fans to hear the Sunny FM radio broadcast and simultaneously watch the animated playbook provided by pointstreak. AppleSox Baseball provides updates on Twitter on @AppleSox and via Instagram by searching: AppleSox.

Following this three game road series, Wenatchee returns home Monday to face the Kitsap Bluejackets.

Sox Sweep Seals

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WENATCHEE, Wash. – Entering Thursday’s series finale, the Wenatchee AppleSox (2-0, 0-0) wanted to put some quality swings on the baseball.

What ensued was an incredible offensive performance by the AppleSox, ending in a 16-4 defeat of the San Francisco Seals (2-5) before 1,271 fans at Paul Thomas Sr. Field.

While it wasn’t the prettiest game the Sox will play in 2014, they certainly were able to create a lot of quality at bats, leading to runs, runs and more runs.

Nick Brooks, the Sox designated hitter from Gonzaga led the way offensively going for 5-6 with a double, a triple and three singles; Just one home run short of the cycle.

Brooks became the latest AppleSox hitter to tally five hits in one game. The last to do so was Connor Spencer. He had five hits on July 13, 2013 against Medford.

On Knight night at the ballpark, Wenatchee Valley College pitcher Kyle Blankenship knew the best way to celebrate Wenatchee Valley College. He threw 5 innings of three hit baseball to get the Sox off on the right foot.

He was relieved by Wenatchee Valley teammate Adam Grubb. Washington State University product Jacob Schroeder finished the game on the mound for the Sox.

The AppleSox tallied 21 hits, their highest total since notching 24 against Kelowna on July 16, 2013.

Tomorrow, the Sox travel to face the Yakima Valley Pippins in the first ever game for the franchise. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard on the AppleSox radio home, Sunny FM.

                                       

SF        1 0 0   0 0 0   3 0 0    4    6    6 

WEN   6 2 0   2 2 2   2 0 X   16  21  4

 

WP – Kyle Blankenship

LP – Jacob Pavlosky

S - none

AppleSox Reign Supreme In Opener

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Courtesy: AppleSox Communications

The fate of the AppleSox season-opener rested on the shoulders of freshman right-hander Reign Letkeman and the Red Deer, Alberta native was ready to rise to the occasion.

Letkeman threw seven shutout innings on Wednesday and spurred the Wenatchee AppleSox (1-0, 0-0) to their first victory of 2014 against the San Francisco Seals (2-4).

When all was said and done, the AppleSox walked away from Paul Thomas Sr. Field with a 5-0 win.

The AppleSox offense was aided by some defensive mishaps amongst the Seals’ fielders. In the second inning, Nick Brooks reached base after being hit by a pitch. Later in the inning, Mike Livingston smoked a double into left field to bring home Brooks. Taylor Johnson, the catcher singled to right in the next at bat to bring home Livingston.

Letkeman held the Seals hitless through the first two innings and Eli Alcantar singled to lead off the third. He was later erased when Cooper Elliott doubled him up at first after tracking down a slicing pop fly in right field.

The score held until the sixth, when Trenton Brooks reached base via the walk with one out. He was advanced on a fielder’s choice groundout and scored on an error at first in the next at bat. Cooper Elliott followed up by doubling off the right field fence, placing runners at second and third. Both runners came around to score on a fielding error in left field during the next at bat.

Kaleb Price took over in relief for the AppleSox in the eighth inning and dealt two scoreless innings of his own to end the game.

San Francisco’s starter, Mikey Ramirez threw 5.2 innings of three hit baseball, but was still tabbed with the loss.

The AppleSox and Seals will wrap up their short two-game series tomorrow night at 7:05 pm. It is Knight Night at the ballpark and fans are encouraged to come represent Wenatchee Valley College.

 

                                                    R  H  E  LOB

SF           0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0   0  8  3  6

WEN       0 2 0   0 0 3   0 0 X   5  5  0  6

WP – Reign Letkeman

LP – Mikey Ramirez

S - none

Prep Standouts Complete AppleSox Roster

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A trio of schools will be sending four highly touted high school recruits to round out the AppleSox 2014 roster. Right-handed pitcher Tyler Frost (Gonzaga), left-handed pitcher Calvin LeBrun (Gonzaga), right-handed pitcher Jonathan Teaney (University of San Diego), and infielder Joe Gillette (Oregon State) will join the AppleSox right out of high school this summer

Frost will come to Wenatchee straight from Greenway High School in Peoria, AZ. Last year the righty broke his high school’s record for lowest ERA in a season (0.93) and was named First Team All-State. His outstanding year garnered him national recognition as well, earning Third Team High School All-American honors by the National High School Baseball Coaches Association.

The southpaw LeBrun is also from Arizona. The Phoenix product who attends Sunnyslope High School is the younger brother of current Gonzaga player Cory LeBrun. He was a member of the USA 17U National Development Program and was named the Phoenix Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-State in 2012.

“Both guys are good enough that they can step in next year and get substantial innings for Gonzaga. They are very talented and we are looking forward to having them on the mound for us this summer,” said AppleSox  head coach Ed Knaggs.

Teaney, from Palmdale, CA, will join the University of San Diego next fall. Last season he compiled an 11-3 record at Quartz Hill High School and struck out 80 batters in 55.2 innings. Perfect Game USA has him listed as the No. 187 overall national prospect in the class of 2014.

“The coaches at the University of San Diego are very high on him,” said Knaggs. “He has had an outstanding high school career and has been especially good this spring.” 

Gillette will be the second Oregon State signee playing for the AppleSox this summer, joining future college teammate Drew Rasmussen in Wenatchee. Last season the California native from Scotts Valley was named the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Player of the Year after hitting .400 with 25 RBIs.  

“He has a very athletic build and good speed to go with it,” said Knaggs. “He plays the left side of the infield and more than likely will be a third baseman for us this summer.” 

The 2014 season will begin at home on June 4th with a two-game series against the San Francisco Seals. The AppleSox will play a 59-game schedule this summer that includes 32 homes games.

Single game tickets start at just $6 for adults and $5 for kids. Season tickets are available now and can be purchased by contacting the AppleSox office at (509) 665-6900.

AppleSox Tap Northwest Schools for Talent

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A combination of new and old partner schools from the region will provide the Wenatchee AppleSox with eight players this summer. The AppleSox will include catcher Michael McCann from Seattle University, right-handed pitcher/infielder Ty Jackson from Lewis-Clark State College, right-handed pitchers Tom Zarosinski and Ian Buckles from George Fox University, left-handed pitcher Clark McKitrick from Western Oregon University, right-handed pitcher Hunter Wells and left-handed pitcher Jacob Cogar from Lower Columbia College, and right-handed pitcher Colton Loomis from Community Colleges of Spokane.

McCann is in his first season at Seattle U after a successful prep career at Columbia River High School in Vancouver. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 40th round of the 2013 MLB Draft, but opted to go to college. He has played in all but four games for the Redhawks as a freshman, hitting .196 with 14 RBIs.

“He has had a lot of playing time as only a freshman. He is coming in as a catcher, but he is a very versatile guy that gives us options beyond having him behind the plate,” said AppleSox head coach Ed Knaggs. “

Jackson is the current NAIA West Pitcher of the Week after a phenomenal weekend. The Kennewick native threw six scoreless innings and got the win Saturday against Northwest Nazarene and followed up that performance Sunday by hitting the game-winning home in Lewis-Clark State’s 2-1 win over the College of Idaho. The Kennewick native started his college career at Washington State with his twin brother Bryce, who played for the AppleSox in 2012. The sophomore is 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA on the mound and is batting .278 at the plate this spring.  

“He almost played for us two seasons ago when his brother was on the team,” said Knaggs. “We are excited to have him now. He is a two-way player who can be a corner infielder in addition to pitching.” 

Zarosinski, a veteran righty, is from Lake Oswego, OR. He began his college career at Oregon State before transferring to George Fox, where he is in his third season with the Bruins. The junior briefly pitched for the Corvallis Knights in 2011 and also again in 2013. This season he is 6-3 with a 2.12 ERA for George Fox.

Buckles also comes to Wenatchee after having pitched in the West Coast League last summer. The junior earned the second most wins for the Klamath Falls Gems last year, notching a 5-2 record with a 3.25 ERA. This season the Kent product who attended Kentridge High School is 6-1 with a 2.65 ERA at George Fox.   

“Both of them have experience in our league which I really like,” said Knaggs. “They have been putting together really good years and right now they project to be guys that we will probably use in our starting rotation.” 

McKitrick is the only Idaho native on Wenatchee’s roster this year, hailing from Idaho Falls. The junior southpaw began his college career at Linn-Benton Community College before transferring to Western Oregon. This season he is 4-1 with a 3.96 ERA for the Wolves.

“Western Oregon is a great Division II program and it will be our first time getting a player from them,” said Knaggs. “He will be a valuable lefty out of the bullpen.”

Wells leads Lower Columbia College in wins this season, compiling a 5-1 record with a 2.23 ERA in 8 starts. The freshman out of Spokane had an impressive prep career at West Valley High School. He is signed to transfer to Gonzaga next season.

Cogar, a teammate of Wells at LCC, is also a freshman for the Red Devils. The lefty was a standout at Monroe High School, where he earned All-Wesco first team honors last season. He is 4-1 for LCC with a 1.82 ERA this season. Former AppleSox player D.J. Lidyard tutors both as the pitching coach for the Red Devils.

“These two will follow in a long line over very good arms that we have had over the years from Lower Columbia,” said Knaggs. “They are talented freshman and both have a high ceiling for the future.”

Out of Cashmere, Loomis will get to play in front of familiar faces this summer. As a senior at Cashmere High School he was named the 1A/B State Player of the Year by the Washington Baseball Coaches Association after going 10-0 with a 0.67 ERA and helping the Bulldogs to a state championship. The sophomore plays for AppleSox pitching coach A.J. Proszek at the Community Colleges of Spokane, where he is 2-3 with a 6.07 ERA this spring.

“He was scheduled to play for last year but got injured right before the summer, so we are happy to have him this season,” said Knaggs. “He throws from a lower arm slot that creates a lot of movement on his pitches. He has excellent control and will primarily be used in relief for us.” 

The 2014 season will begin at home on June 4th with a two-game series against the San Francisco Seals. The AppleSox will play a 59-game schedule this summer that includes 32 homes games.

Single game tickets start at just $6 for adults and $5 for kids. Season tickets are available now and can be purchased by contacting the AppleSox office at (509) 665-6900.

Four More Added from SoCal Schools

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The AppleSox will again feature plenty of talent from California this summer with two players from California State University, Northridge and Pomona Pitzer joining the team. Wenatchee will feature right-handed pitcher Brandon Warner and infielder Michael Livingston from Cal State Northridge, along with infielders Simon Rosenbaum and Tanner Nishioka from Pomona Pitzer.

“Pomona Pitzer has been a great partner program for many years and this will be our first season getting guys from Northridge,” said AppleSox head coach Ed Knaggs. “We are very familiar with the new coaching staff at Northridge and are excited to start a relationship with the school.”

Warner, from Laguna Hills, CA, has pitched in over 50 games in his college career. This year for the Matadors the junior has compiled a 1-1 record with a 3.52 ERA. He has appeared in relief this spring, pitching in 17 games out of the bullpen.

Livingston, out of Palmdale, CA, is a left-handed hitter at the plate. The junior can play all over the infield, but primarily at second and third base. This season he is hitting .202 in 32 games for Northridge.

“Having a pair of juniors who have experience at the Division I level like these two players is a nice luxury,” said Knaggs. “We tend to have pretty young teams overall, so adding a pair of guys with lots seasoning only helps.” 

Rosenbaum is hitting an eye-popping .488 for the Sagehens this year. He has compiled 44 RBIs in 123 at bats this season. The sophomore from Los Altos, CA, was named a Division III National Player of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association earlier this season. Last year he was the D3baseball.com West Region Rookie of the Year.

“His numbers are off the charts this season,” said Knaggs. “He is a first baseman and might even pitch a bit for us this summer.”

Nishioka leads Pomona Pitzer in games played and is third on the team with a .401 batting average, as only a freshman. The Hawaii native from Honolulu is also the punter for the football team at Pomona Pitzer.

“He is a dynamic player and has some pop in his bat,” said Knaggs. “He has impressive speed and has the versatility to play almost anywhere in the field. Both of these guys from Pomona Pitzer are very exciting players.”

The 2014 season will begin at home on June 4th with a two-game series against the San Francisco Seals. The AppleSox will play a 59-game schedule this summer that includes 32 homes games.

Single game tickets start at just $6 for adults and $5 for kids. Season tickets are available now and can be purchased by contacting the AppleSox office at (509) 665-6900.

Pictures:

Attached photographs of Michael Livingston, Brandon Warner, Simon Rosenbaum, and Tanner Nishioka are courtesy of the Cal State Northridge and Pomona Pitzer Sports Information Departments.