AppleSox Can't Hold Early Lead vs Black Bears

BOX SCORE

The Wenatchee AppleSox struck first and led 4-0 after two innings but fell to the Cowlitz Black Bears, 10-7, on Thursday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The Black Bears scored five runs over the final three innings to win the rubber match. Joichiro Oyama and Xander Orejudos both recorded multi-hit efforts in the loss. Oyama tripled in a pair of runs in the second inning to record his fifth triple of the summer. He is now one away from matching the AppleSox’ single-season record for triples, set by current Milwaukee Brewer Keston Hiura in 2015.

Wenatchee opened the scoring with an RBI double from Michael Davinni in the first before Oyama’s big swing in the second. He would come into score on a groundout by Matt Halbach to make it 4-0, Wenatchee.

The turning point of the game came in the third inning. Adam Fahsel drew a bases-loaded, one-out walk to bring in a run as the AppleSox answered Cowlitz’s three-run top of the third. That made it 5-3, AppleSox, but the next two hitters, Oyama and Halbach, were retired consecutively to end the inning with the bases still loaded.

The Black Bears scored in each of the next two innings to tie the game up. They briefly took the lead with a one-out solo home run in the top of the seventh before Orejudos answered with a two-out single in the bottom of the frame. Cowlitz created some breathing room with a three-run eighth and one more run of insurance in the ninth before CJ Horn hit an opposite-field RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth for the final run of the night.

Wenatchee is now tied with Bellingham and Edmonton for first place in the North Division in the second half. If the season ended today, then the AppleSox would win the second half playoff berth. The Bells already won the first half and the AppleSox hold the tiebreaker over the Riverhawks by virtue of having won two-of-three games in the season series. Edmonton would still make the postseason as the three seed because their 21-23 record is the third-best in the North Division overall. They would host Game 1 of the Division series against Wenatchee with Games 2 and (if necessary) 3 being played at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox look to separate themselves from the pack this weekend as they face the Kamloops NorthPaws at Norbrock Stadium. Wenatchee swept Kamloops a week ago but is 2-4 since then. First pitch on Friday night is at 6:35 p.m.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast to hear a recap, highlights and a pregame interview with Conner Ashworth. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Host Cowlitz On Final Throwback Thursday Of 2022

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox wrap up a quick three-game homestand tonight at 7:05 against the Cowlitz Black Bears at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee battles Cowlitz in its seventh rubber match of the summer. The AppleSox won their first three rubber matches of the season but have dropped each of their last three. Wenatchee took the first game of this series with a 9-2 win on Tuesday but Cowlitz stormed back to win 10-4 last night.

Just as a seven-run third inning was huge for the AppleSox on Tuesday it was the Black Bears getting out to an early 7-0 lead that paced them last night. They scored three times in the first, twice in the second and twice more in the fourth to lead the AppleSox by seven after three-and-a-half innings.

A win tonight would clinch the AppleSox’ eighth series victory of the summer and guarantee a winning record at home this summer. The AppleSox are 13-10 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium with four home games remaining, including tonight. If Wenatchee were to win each of its final four home games then it would match it’s 2019 franchise record of a 17-10 record at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Felix Schlede makes his fourth start of the summer and fifth appearance for Wenatchee. He last pitched a week ago and allowed five runs on four hits, five walks and five strikeouts in 3.1 innings against Kamloops. The incoming freshman at Central Arizona is 0-2 with an 11.32 ERA this summer in 10.2 innings. Schlede has struck out 17, walked 13 and allowed eight hits.

Ryan Hardman gets the ball for Cowlitz in his seventh start of the summer. The right-hander from Dixie State College has started all six games that he has pitched in and is 1-2 with a 5.34 ERA in 30.1 innings. Hardman has struck out 22, walked five and allowed 29 hits. His most recent start came a week ago when he allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits in 6.1 innings. He walked one and struck out four while getting a no decision in an eventual 7-6 loss for the Black Bears.

Tonight’s game is the final “Throwback Thursday” of the summer and it is sponsored by Colville Casinos. Wenatchee will sport its heritage uniforms for the final time. These game-worn uniforms are available for purchase on a first-come first-serve basis. Limited numbers remain and can be purchased at the third-base souvenir stand. General admission tickets are also available for a “throwback” price of $2 and can be purchased at saferseating.com.

Please note that the start time of tonight’s game has been pushed back a half hour due to the heat in the Wenatchee Valley. Gates open at 6 p.m.

Each game can be listened to live on kcsyfm.com on your computer or smart phone. If you live in Washington you can listen on your radio on any of the following stations:

·      Wenatchee: 93.9 FM

·      East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM

·      Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM

·      Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM

·      Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM

·      Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM

·      Methow Valley: 106.3 FM

Coverage of each game begins at 6:40 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show. Stick around after the game to hear the postgame show with player and coach interviews if the AppleSox win.

Arquette and Samperi's Big Nights Not Enough For AppleSox

Aiva Arquette picked up three hits and drove in two runs but the Wenatchee AppleSox fell to the Cowlitz Black Bears, 10-4, seconds n Wednesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. 

Arquette tripled in a run in the bottom of the fourth and singled in another in the sixth to give him a team-high 42 RBI. Ezra Samperi scored three times and also collected three hits. Those two combined to collect six of Wenatchee’s 10 hits and scored all four of their runs.

The AppleSox didn’t get on the board until the fourth and trailed 7-0 by that point. Cowlitz scored three in the first, two in the second and two more in the top of the fourth before Wenatchee struck. The AppleSox twice stranded the bases loaded and left 13 men on the basepaths.

Conner Ashworth tossed a scoreless 1.1 innings on the bump in his first appearance since June 17 against Bellingham. The Brewster native struck out one of the six hitters that he faced.

The rubber match is set for 7:05 p.m. on Thursday night as the AppleSox face the Black Bears again. Wenatchee will sport its heritage uniforms for the final time. These game-worn uniforms are available for purchase on a first-come first-serve basis. Limited numbers remain and can be purchased at the third-base souvenir stand. 

General admission tickets are also available for a “throwback” price of $2 and can be purchased at saferseating.com.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast. Hear a recap of the game as well as a pregame interview with Enzo Apodaca. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Go For Series Victory Tonight Against Cowlitz

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox look to pick up their eighth series victory of the summer tonight as they face the Cowlitz Black Bears at 7:05 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The start time of tonight and tomorrow’s games have both been pushed back a half hour to 7:05 p.m. in an attempt to begin the game when more of the ballpark is shaded.

Wenatchee opened up the series with a 9-2 victory on Tuesday night. The AppleSox scored seven runs in the bottom of the third inning and Garrett Gores tossed 5.2 scoreless innings of relief. Michael Davinni went 3-for-5 and Joichiro Oyama picked up a hit and three walks.

The seven-run third inning was 15th time that the AppleSox have scored five-or-more runs in an inning this season. Three of those instances have come in three-of-their-last-four home games. The crooked innings are a big reason why the AppleSox have won four consecutive home games, their longest win streak at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium this summer.

Last night’s win kept the AppleSox in first place in the North Division in the second half with a 10-6 record. Wenatchee leads Bellingham for the first spot in the North by one game and is also two games ahead of Edmonton. If Bellingham and Wenatchee tie for the second half or the Bells win it, then the AppleSox claim the second-half playoff berth and have home-field advantage in the first round of the North Division Series. If they don’t win the second half then the AppleSox can still gain a playoff spot if they have one of the four-best overall records in the North Division. The AppleSox’ 22-21 overall record is the second-best in the North.

Jack Moffitt starts on the mound for the eighth time this summer and looks to win his third game of the season. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.32 ERA in 25 innings. Moffitt has struck out 25, walked 19 and allowed 27 hits. His most recent start was his finest as he struck out six in five scoreless innings against the Kamloops NorthPaws a week ago. Moffitt did walk five but struck out six and only allowed two hits.

Cowlitz sends Ryan Rembisz to the rubber for his fifth start of the summer. The lefty from the University of Portland is 2-2 with a 7.23 ERA, 23 strikeouts, four walks and 25 hits in 18.2 innings. His most recent outing was one of his three relief appearances this summer, with the latest coming this past Sunday. Rembisz tossed a scoreless top of the 10th inning against the Ridgefield Raptors before the Black Bears picked up the walk-off win in the bottom half.

Tonight’s game is the final WINatchee Wednesday of the regular season. All fans in attendance are eligible to win prizes from local businesses just by attending the game. The first 100 fans entering the ballpark will receive free freezer pops to help beat the heat. The AppleSox have also installed misters throughout the park to help fans stay cool. Tickets are available at saferseating.com.

Each game can be listened to live on kcsyfm.com on your computer or smart phone. If you live in Washington you can listen on your radio on any of the following stations:

·      Wenatchee: 93.9 FM

·      East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM

·      Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM

·      Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM

·      Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM

·      Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM

·      Methow Valley: 106.3 FM

Coverage of each game begins at 6:40 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show. Stick around after the game to hear the postgame show with player and coach interviews if the AppleSox win.

Seven-Run Inning Leads AppleSox Past Cowlitz

The Wenatchee AppleSox scored seven runs in the bottom of the third to buoy them past the Cowlitz Black Bears with a 9-2 win on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Michael Davinni went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and Garrett Gores (1-1) tossed 5.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory.

Wenatchee sent 12 men to the plate in the third inning and scored the game’s first seven runs despite only collecting three hits in the inning. Three walks, two errors and a hit by pitch also paved the way for a big inning. The AppleSox didn’t get their first hit of the inning until Joichiro Oyama singled in a pair with the bases loaded. Each of the first seven hitters of the inning reached base and scored. Davinni singled in one, Ezra Samperi drew a bases-loaded walk and Aiva Arquette plated the final two runs of the inning with a single.

Oyama got the scoring started with his 2-RBI single. He also drew walks in each of his final three plate appearances to reach base in four-of-five trips to the dish. Enzo Apodaca also drew three walks and AppleSox hitters combined to draw eight free passes. They have drawn 15 walks in the last two games and 221 this summer, second-most in the West Coast League.

Grant Sherrod drove in a run in the fourth and then scored the final run of the night in the sixth. He picked up a two-out RBI single after Davinni singled and then Apodaca walked before him. Sherrod then doubled with two outs in the sixth and then scored after two more Cowlitz errors.

Gores entered after two runs scored in the fourth inning and then got the final two outs of the inning and each of the first 10 hitters that he faced in order. His 5.2 innings tossed marked his second-longest outing of the summer.

The AppleSox look to take the series when they face the Black Bears on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. It’s the final WINatchee Wednesday of the summer. Fans are eligible to win prizes from local businesses just by attending the game. Tickets are available at saferseating.com.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast. Listen to a recap of the game, highlights and interviews with Gores, Davinni, Mitch Darlington and Jake Putnam. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Return Home To Face Black Bears

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox, currently in first place in the North Division in the second half, host the Cowlitz Black Bears this Tuesday-through-Thursday at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee holds a one-game lead over the Bellingham Bells for first place in the North Division in the second half. If Bellingham and Wenatchee tie for the second half or the Bells win it, then the AppleSox claim the second-half playoff berth and have home-field advantage in the first round of the North Division Series. If they don’t win the second half then they can still gain a playoff spot if they have one of the four-best overall records in the North Division.

The AppleSox salvaged their three-game road trip against the Walla Walla Sweets with a 10-5 win on Sunday night. They trailed 3-0 after the first inning but rallied to score twice in the third and three times in the fourth to hold the lead for good. Matt Halbach went 2-for-5 with two doubles and 2 RBI to pace the offense and record his 10th multi-hit effort in 17 games this month. He leads the AppleSox with nine doubles and is batting .423 (11-for-26) over the last six games with at least one hit in each game. Halbach’s .362 batting average is tied for fourth-best in the WCL.

Wenatchee split its six-game series against Cowlitz a year ago, winning two-of-three at David Story Field in late June before dropping two-of-three in their final homestand of the summer. The AppleSox are 26-19 against the Black Bears since they joined the league in 2010. Centerfielder Enzo Apodaca hit .380 (8-for-21) against Cowlitz a year ago, including 4-for-4 with a home run and a walk in the home finale on Aug. 8, 2021.

The Black Bears are led by former major-league pitcher Alan Embree, who also previously coached the Bend Elks from 2013-18. They are 18-23 with a 6-9 record in the second half which are last overall and tied for-last, respectively, in the South Division. However, the Black Bears have won two-of-their-last-three series, including taking back-to-back wins over the Ridgefield Raptors on Saturday and Sunday. Aaron Parker launched a two-out walkoff solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning in the series finale.

It’s a brief but action-packed homestand for the AppleSox and it begins with the final $2 Off Tuesday of the summer. Tickets, hot dogs, burgers and Coors draft pours are all $2 off.

The first 100 fans entering the ballpark each day will receive free freezer pops to help beat the heat. The AppleSox have also installed misters throughout the park to help fans stay cool. Tickets to all three games can be purchased at saferseating.com.

The AppleSox will wear their popular heritage uniforms for the final time this summer on Thursday. Fans have an opportunity to purchase one of the remaining game-worn uniforms by stopping by the third-base souvenir stand any day during this homestand. Jerseys are available for $100 and fans will receive them following Thursday’s game. If a fan purchases one before Thursday night and cannot make it to the game to pick up their uniform, then they can have it shipped to them for an additional $10. Tickets to Thursday’s game are available for $2.

Each game can be listened to live on kcsyfm.com on your computer or smart phone. If you live in Washington you can listen on your radio on any of the following stations:

·      Wenatchee: 93.9 FM

·      East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM

·      Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM

·      Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM

·      Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM

·      Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM

·      Methow Valley: 106.3 FM

Coverage of each game begins at 6:10 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show. Stick around after the game to hear the postgame show with player and coach interviews if the AppleSox win.

Mid-Inning Surge Carries AppleSox Past Sweets

The Wenatchee AppleSox rallied back from giving up three runs in the first inning to defeat the Walla Walla Sweets, 10-5, on Sunday night at Borleske Stadium.

Matt Halbach hit a pair of doubles, including a two-run double in the third inning. Ezra Samperi also drove in two runs, including hitting a game-tying RBI single in the fourth.

Halbach’s double in the second cut the deficit to one and the second runner to touch home was Joichiro Oyama, who scored his 48th run of the season. The incoming junior at UC Irvine set the West Coast League single-season record in his 42nd game of the summer. He moved past 2012 AppleSox’ infielder Mitchell Gunsolus, who set the mark in 54 games, and Taylor Wright, who tied the mark in 53 games with the Kelowna Falcons in 2017. 

Quincy Vassar bounced back from a tough first inning to pick up his second win of the summer. Each of the first five hitters of the first inning reached against him and three runs scored but he did not allow a run over the next 4.2 innings until the bottom of the sixth. He matched a season-high with eight strikeouts in his seventh and final start of the summer.

Jake Putnam tossed the final 3.1 innings and struck out three to earn his second save of the year. 

The AppleSox took the lead for good with a three-run fourth inning. Samperi plated the tying run and then was the second runner to score in the inning thanks to a wild pitch to make it 5-3, AppleSox.

Walla Walla drew with one run in the bottom of the sixth with two outs to knock Vassar out of the game but Jake Putnam got the final out of the inning on a batter interference call in the middle of a stolen base attempt. 

The AppleSox’ one-run lead didn’t last for long as they added four runs of insurance in the top of the seventh. Enzo Apodaca hit a ground ball to the right side that looked like it would be at least one out but instead took a high hope over the second baseman and into right field to score two runs. Samperi hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Xander Orejudos singled to right to plate Apodaca for the final two runs. 

Apodaca later tripled in the ninth and scored on a wild pitch for the AppleSox’ final run.

Wenatchee lost the series but gets back to .500 overall and remains in first place in the North Division. They are 9-6 in the second half and one game ahead of the Bellingham Bells. If Bellingham and Wenatchee tie for the second half or the Bells win it, then the AppleSox claim the second-half playoff berth and have home-field advantage in the first round of the North Division Series. If they don’t win the second half then they can still gain a playoff spot if they have one of the four-best overall records in the North Division

The AppleSox return home to face the Cowlitz Black Bears on Tuesday night in the first game of a three-game homestand. It’s a $2 Off Tuesday, with tickets, hot dogs, burger and Coors draft pours all $2 off. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium and tickets can be purchased at saferseating.com.

Listen to the latest AppleSox Podcast for a recap of the game, highlights and interviews with Halbach, Vassar, head coach Mitch Darlington and Adam Fahsel. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Look To Salvage Series With Sweets

The Wenatchee AppleSox face the Walla Walla Sweets at 6:05 p.m. tonight at Borleske Stadium in the finale of their three-game road trip.

The AppleSox are looking to win the final game of the series after dropping the first two games. Walla Walla scored twice with two outs in the eighth inning to take their only lead of the game and win the opener, 4-3. The AppleSox out-hit the Sweets, 14-12, yesterday but fell 11-7 after falling behind 5-0 after two innings.

Walla Walla has now won four consecutive series but has not swept any and has not swept any team this summer. Wenatchee has been swept three times and has swept three teams.

The AppleSox are tied with the Bellingham Bells for first place in the North Division in the second half. If the season ended today the AppleSox would earn the second-half playoff berth because of the tie since the Bells already won the first half playoff spot. Wenatchee is tied with Kamloops for the second-best overall record in the North Division. The AppleSox have to either win the North Division in the second half or tie with Bellingham to earn the second half playoff spot. If they do not do either of those then they just need to have one of the four-best overall records in the North Division to earn a playoff berth, but they will not have home-field advantage in the first round.

Joichiro Oyama reached base safely in all five plate appearances yesterday with his 17th multi-hit game and fifth three-hit effort of the summer. He leads the West Coast League in at-bats, runs, hits and stolen bases and is chasing several single-season records. Oyama scored twice yesterday to match the league’s single-season runs record and he can set the new high mark with a run today. The incoming junior at UC Irvine is eight away from tying the single-season stolen bases mark and is three triples away from tying the single-season high for triples.

Quincy Vassar starts for the AppleSox in his final appearance of the summer. The southpaw from Vanguard is 1-3 with a 4.45 ERA and his coming off a dominant, albeit brief, effort last week. Vassar tossed four scoreless innings and struck out six Kamloops NorthPaws in Wenatchee’s 16-4 win this past Tuesday. He walked one and allowed one hit on 48 pitches and was pulled with the AppleSox ahead, 13-0, so that he could start tonight.

Vassar, a Brewster native, wraps up his summer with the AppleSox after tonight’s game. He is 1-3 with a 4.45 ERA in eight games (six starts) and has struck out 37, walked nine and allowed 34 hits. Vassar has not allowed any runs in his last 11 innings on the mound, going all the way back to when he tossed seven shutout innings against the Nanaimo NightOwls on July 8. He has a 4.30 ERA as a starting pitcher and has not allowed a run in half of his starts.

Walla Walla sends Hayden Hattenbach to the bump for his third start of the season. The righty from UC Santa Barbara is making his second start of the summer and is 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA in seven appearances. He has struck out 12, walked 12 and allowed 33 hits in 23 innings. Hattenbach’s last start came a week ago against Kelowna when he allowed four runs (three earned) on 13 hits, four walks and five strikeouts in eight innings. The Sweets won, 6-4, but Hattenbach got a no-decision.

Tonight’s game can be listened to live on kcsyfm.com on your computer or smart phone. If you live in Washington you can listen on your radio on any of the following stations:

·      Wenatchee: 93.9 FM

·      East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM

·      Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM

·      Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM

·      Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM

·      Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM

·      Methow Valley: 106.3 FM

Coverage of tonight’s game begins at 6:10 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show. Stick around after the game to hear the postgame show with player and coach interviews if the AppleSox win.

Oyama Ties WCL Record But AppleSox Fall On Saturday

Joichiro Oyama reached base in all five plate appearances and tied the West Coast League single-season record by scoring twice but the AppleSox lost to the Walla Walla Sweets, 11-7, on Saturday afternoon at Borleske Stadium.

Oyama scored a pair of runs to give him 47 this summer, which is tied with AppleSox alum Mitchell Gunsolus and former Kelowna Falcon Taylor Wright for the WCL’s single-season record. Gunsolus set the record with 54 games played in 2012 and Wright matched it in 53 games in 2017 but Oyama ties both of them after his 41st game of 2022.

The incoming junior at UC Irvine also drew closer to two other single-season records. He tripled and scored on an error in the fifth inning to pick up his fourth triple of the summer. Current Milwaukee Brewer Keston Hiura holds the AppleSox’ single-season record with six triples in 2015. The WCL record is seven, set by Andy Atwood with the Corvallis Knights in 2019.

Despite Oyama’s heroics the AppleSox did not get on the board until the fourth inning and trailed 5-0 before that. Wenatchee out-hit the Sweets, 14-12, while Matt Halbach (three hits), Aiva Arquette, Enzo Apodaca and Grant Sherrod all recorded multi-hit games in addition to Oyama.

Adam Fahsel extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the eighth. He recorded the seventh different hitting streak of at least nine games for the AppleSox this summer. Fahsel’s streak is the AppleSox’ longest active hitting streak and is tied for the third-longest of the year, three games short of a pair of 12-game hitting streaks by Oyama and Michael Davinni.

The Sweets took a 5-0 lead into the fourth before the AppleSox got on the board. Wenatchee scored two runs apiece in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings but also gave up six runs combined in the bottom of those same three innings.

Their best chance to get back in the game came in the top of the fifth. Each of the first five hitters in the order reached base and two runs scored as the AppleSox batted with the bases loaded and no outs. All of the next three hitters struck out to retire the side and keep Walla Walla ahead, 8-4. The Sweets scored twice in the bottom of the inning to negate the AppleSox’ late charge.

Wenatchee will attempt to salvage the series on Sunday when it faces Walla Walla in the series finale. Quincy Vassar makes his seventh start of the summer and the series finale is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast for a recap of the game, highlights and a pregame interview with Sherrod. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Continue Road Trip To Walla Walla

The Wenatchee AppleSox face the Walla Walla Sweets at 4:35 p.m. this afternoon at Borleske Stadium for the second game of the three-game road trip.

The AppleSox scored first and took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth but the Sweets tied it that inning and then scored twice in the eighth with two outs to defeat Wenatchee in the series opener. The loss snapped the AppleSox’ three-game winning streak and was the first road defeat since July 7 at Kelowna.

Riley Sinclair tossed a season-high six innings but the AppleSox fell to 6-7 when their starting pitcher tosses five-or-more innings. Wenatchee is 14-13 when its starter doesn’t make through five complete innings.

Adam Fahsel holds the AppleSox’ longest active hitting streak at eight games after singling in fifth inning last night. He is batting .466 over this hit streak and if he can get a hit tonight, then Fahsel will have recorded the AppleSox’ sixth different hitting streak of at least nine games. Wenatchee’s longest hitting streak this season is 12 games, set by Michael Davinni in the first 12 games of the season and then matched by Joichiro Oyama June 29-July 15. Oyama is two runs away from tying the West Coast League’s single-season record of 47.

Hunter Gibson makes his first start of the summer tonight for the AppleSox. He is coming off five shutout innings of relief on Sunday against Corvallis in his longest outing of the summer. The right-hander from Big Bend has a 2.70 ERA in seven games and has tossed 16.2 innings. He has only walked three hitters this summer and just one over his last five appearances spanning 13 innings.

Walla Walla counters with Stu Flesland, a southpaw from the University of Washington. He is 1-0 with a 2.07 ERA in seven games, three starts, spanning 17.1 innings. Flesland has struck out 23, walked six and allowed 11 hits. He previously pitched in the WCL in 2019 in two games with the Yakima Valley Pippins and allowed 11 runs over seven innings in two games. Flesland posted a 3.24 ERA in 31 games (five starts) with the Huskies this past spring and did not allow any runs in his first six games this summer.

Tonight’s game can be listened to live on kcsyfm.com on your computer or smart phone. If you live in Washington you can listen on your radio on any of the following stations:

·      Wenatchee: 93.9 FM

·      East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM

·      Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM

·      Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM

·      Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM

·      Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM

·      Methow Valley: 106.3 FM

Coverage of tonight’s game begins at 6:10 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show. Stick around after the game to hear the postgame show with player and coach interviews if the AppleSox win.

Sweets Rally In 8th, Beat AppleSox

The Walla Walla Sweets scored two runs on three consecutive hits to defeat the Wenatchee AppleSox, 4-3, on Friday night at Borleske Stadium. 

Riley Sinclair struck out six in six shutout innings for season highs in both categories. Enzo Apodaca led the offense with a 3-for-4 night for his third three-hit game of the summer.

The AppleSox scored first for the fourth straight game but lost for the first time in that span. Joichiro Oyama walked, stole his West Coast League-leading 31st bag of the summer and scored on a groundout by Matt Halbach in the third to open the scoring. Oyama scored his 45th run of the summer and now sits two runs away from tying the WCL’s single-season runs record.

Apodaca led off with a double off the right-field fence and scored on a two-out single by Grant Sherrod in the fourth after the Sweets tied the game with a run in the bottom of the third.

A solo home run in the sixth tied the game up before Walla Walla’s two-out rally in the eighth. Wenatchee nearly tied the game up in the bottom of the ninth, loading up the bases with one out. Oyama lined a ball sharply to the third base side that was snared and resulted in a force out at third as a run scored. That was all that Wenatchee would get as a groundout ended the game.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast to hear a recap of the game as well as the pregame interview with Matt Halbach. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox To Host Team Photo Signing Party Wednesday At Pybus

The 22nd season in Wenatchee AppleSox history has been a memorable one and the AppleSox are thanking fans for celebrating summer with them by giving fans a free keepsake to remember this summer. The annual AppleSox team photo signing party is this Wednesday at Pybus Public Market.

Fans can stop by Pybus from noon until 1:30 p.m. to meet the AppleSox and pick up their own signed team photo for free. The AppleSox team photo autograph party is made possible thanks to our friends at Weinstein Beverage, Sunny FM, Parsons Photography and Pybus Public Market.

The AppleSox return home on Tuesday, July 26, to face the Cowlitz Black Bears at 6:35 p.m. in the first game of a three-game series. It’s a $2 Off Tuesday with general admission seats available for as affordable as $5 and reserved premium seats available at just $10. Hot dogs, burgers and Coors draft pours are also $2 off and fans can take 20-percent off team merchandise at the AppleSox’ third-base souvenir stand. Tickets are available at saferseating.com.

AppleSox Hit Road, Face Sweets

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox look to keep up their strong play as they play a road game tonight for the first time in a couple of weeks with a 7:05 p.m. matchup against the Walla Walla Sweets at Borleske Stadium.

Wenatchee picked up its third sweep of the season last night with a 6-5 win over the Kamloops NorthPaws. They led the North Division in the second half with an 8-4 record and would earn a playoff spot if they hang onto this lead. The AppleSox can also qualify for the postseason by having one of the four-best records in the division.

The past homestand was a big one for the AppleSox as they won six-of-eight, including two non-league wins. Wenatchee has won seven-of-its-last-nine games in WCL play and swept two-of-their-last-three series. The AppleSox are outscoring opponents 79-35 over the last nine games.

The AppleSox won four-of-six games against the Sweets a year ago but are 38-42 against them all-time. Walla Walla enters tonight’s game 18-21 overall and 6-6 in the second half. They won two-of-three games earlier this week against the Springfield Drifters but lost last night looking for the series sweep.

Riley Sinclair gets the ball for the AppleSox tonight in his sixth start of the summer. He is 1-0 with a 5.87 ERA, 13 strikeouts, 11 walks and 16 hits over 15.1 innings. His last appearance was last Saturday when he tossed four innings and allowed three runs on five hits, four walks and four strikeouts against the Corvallis Knights. It marked the third straight start that Sinclair pitched four innings, his season high this year. He has allowed three runs or less in all five of his starts in 2022.

Walla Walla has not announced a probable pitcher.

Tonight’s game can be listened to live on kcsyfm.com on your computer or smart phone. If you live in Washington you can listen on your radio on any of the following stations:

·      Wenatchee: 93.9 FM

·      East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM

·      Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM

·      Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM

·      Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM

·      Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM

·      Methow Valley: 106.3 FM

Coverage of tonight’s game begins at 6:10 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show. Stick around after the game to hear the postgame show with player and coach interviews if the AppleSox win.

AppleSox Sweep NorthPaws

Enzo Apodaca delivered a go-ahead single in the sixth and Evan Canfield tossed 3.2 scoreless innings in relief as the Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Kamloops NorthPaws, 6-5, on Thursday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox picked up their third series sweep of the summer, all of which have come against teams in their first season in the WCL. Thursday night’s win was their toughest of the series. After a 16-4 win on Tuesday and an 7-2 victory on Wednesday the AppleSox were knotted up, 5-5, until Apodaca’s two-out hit in the sixth.

The AppleSox led 5-2 after three innings but gave up three runs in the top of the third to tie the game up before Apodaca’s heroics. Aiva Arquette doubled in a pair in the first inning and Andrew Haight doubled in Xander Orejudos in the third. Two wild pitches plated a pair of runs in the second.

Canfield entered in the top of the sixth with one out and a runner at second. He walked three and allowed one hit but struck out five hitters, including four consecutive in the seventh in the eighth and then the last one for the final out

Orejudos, Arquette and Matt Halbach all recorded multi-hit games in the AppleSox’ win. The AppleSox collected at least 10 hits in all three games of this series and remain in first place in the West Coast League in the North Division in the second half with an 8-4 record.

Prior to Thursday’s game the AppleSox presented Joichiro Oyama with the 2022 Tommy Watanabe Award. He became the fourth recipient of the AppleSox’ annual award. Oyama was honored for his respect for the game and those around it.

Wenatchee won six-of-the-eight games on this homestand and have won four-of-their-last-five games. They travel to Walla Walla to face the Sweets on Friday night for the first game of a three-game series. It is the first road game for the AppleSox since July 10. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast to hear a recap of the game, highlights and interviews with Canfield, Apodaca, Mitch Darlington and Reese Ligtenberg. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Oyama Named 2022 Tommy Watanabe Award Winner

It’s things like his Mickey Mouse luggage bag that he brings on every road trip. 

The smile and thumbs-up when asked to pose for a photo while crossing the border late in the evening at the end of a six-game road trip.

Picking up AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington’s just-over-a-year-old son, Dash, and carrying him back to his dad.

The tip of his helmet to the home-plate umpire before every plate appearance. 

All of these are part of the charm that is Joichiro Oyama. His love of the game and the smile that he brings to the field every day are why he is the 2022 Tommy Watanabe Award winner.

“You can’t bring up Jo’s name without smiling because he always is,” AppleSox general manager Allie Schank said. “He always is in a good mood whether he had a great day at the plate or an off night by his standards."

The AppleSox infielder has become a fan favorite with his charm and his old-fashioned style of playing. Oyama bunts, hits to the opposite field and steals bases. Listen to the crowd during a game and you’ll hear the crowd chanting “Jo-ichi-ro!” or saying “make it so, Jo!”

He has already written himself into the AppleSox’ history books by becoming the team’s single-season stolen bases leader with four bags shipped on July 10 against Nanaimo to give him 26 for the season, surpassing the previous mark of 23 set in 2003 by Brent Wyatt. 

Stolen bases aren’t the only record that Oyama may break this season. He enters Thursday night’s game four runs away from tying the WCL single-season record of 47.

His play speaks for itself but it’s the effect that he has on his teammates that makes him so deserving of this award. He always hustles and that was especially evident when he charged and helped make a tough play to help record the final out of the AppleSox’ win on Wednesday, July 20. Pitcher Jake Putnam was so excited that Oyama got to a slow rolling ball that hit off his glove that Putnam picked up Oyama and bear-hugged him on the pitcher’s mound as the team celebrated.

“Joichiro is the true definition of what it means to be a great teammate,” head coach Mitch Darlington said. “Jo brings an infectious joy for the game and his teammates everyday that he comes to the park. He plays the game with a fierce competitiveness, a sharp focus, all with a smile on his face. I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to coach such a great human being as Joichiro Oyama.” 

Oyama is the fourth recipient of the Tommy Watanabe Award, created in 2019 in honor of former AppleSox player Tommy Watanabe, who passed away in 2017. Oyama joins Michael O’Hara in 2021, Johnny Sage in 2019, Jacob Prater in 2018 as winners of the award. 

To learn more about Tommy Watanabe and the Award, please visit applesox.com/tommy-watanabe-award

AppleSox Wrap Up Lengthy Homestand Tonight vs Kamloops

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox conclude their eight-game homestand tonight against the Kamloops NorthPaws at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

It’s been a great home stretch for the AppleSox over the last couple of weeks. Wenatchee has won five-of-its-last-seven games, including non-league victories last week against the DubSea Fish Sticks. The AppleSox are 13-10 overall this summer when playing in the Apple Capital of the World.

Wenatchee is looking to pick up his third series sweep of the summer after previously winning all three games against Springfield in mid June and completing the trifecta at Nanaimo two weeks ago. The AppleSox won, 16-4, on Tuesday night before winning, 7-2, last night.

Crooked innings have been the name of the game for the AppleSox in this series. They have score five-or-more runs in an inning three times and have never trailed against Kamloops. Wenatchee scored five runs in the second and seven runs in the third inning on Tuesday and then followed it up with a five-run first inning last night.

The AppleSox continue to hold down the first spot in the second half in the North Division. They have split each of their first four series to open the second half but swept Nanaimo on the road and could do the same to Kamloops with a win tonight. Wenatchee holds a one-game lead over Victoria for the division lead and will either make the postseason by winning the second half or having one of the four-best overall records in the North Division.

Felix Schlede makes his fourth start overall and his third in West Coast League action tonight for the AppleSox. He started two Wednesdays ago against the DubSea Fish Sticks and allowed two runs over 4.1 innings, walked three and struck out four. For the second time in a start this summer Schlede did not allow any hits. The incoming freshman also stymied the Springfield Drifters on June 12 with 10 strikeouts in four innings. He has a 10.28 ERA over seven innings in three games in WCL play this year. He has 12 strikeouts, eight walks and four hits.

Kamloops original probable starter for tonight, Shay Timmer, started last night instead.

Tonight is the final game of this eight-game homestand and a Throwback Thursday, with general admission tickets available for a “throwback” price of $2. Tickets can be purchased at saferseating.com.

Wenatchee will also be sporting special uniforms that pay tribute to the Native American history of North Central Washington. Their uniforms are ones that were designed in collaboration with the Colville tribes for the final two Thursday home games of the 2022 season. Fans can purchase the game-worn uniforms on a first-come, first-serve basis in-person at the third-base souvenir stand and can receive them after the July 28 game.

Tonight’s game can be listened to live on kcsyfm.com on your computer or smart phone. If you live in Washington you can listen on your radio on any of the following stations:

·      Wenatchee: 93.9 FM

·      East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM

·      Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM

·      Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM

·      Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM

·      Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM

·      Methow Valley: 106.3 FM

Coverage of tonight’s game begins at 6:10 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show. Stick around after the game to hear the postgame show with player and coach interviews if the AppleSox win.

AppleSox Win Seventh Series of 2022

Jack Moffitt tossed five scoreless innings and the AppleSox scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning to defeat the Kamloops NorthPaws, 7-2, on Wednesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. 

Wenatchee’s win moves them back to .500 overall at 19-19 and keeps them in first place in the second half with a 7-4 record. The AppleSox can clinch a playoff berth by either winning the second half or having one of the four best overall records in the North Division.

Moffitt (2-1) struck out a season-best six in his longest start of the summer to help give the AppleSox the series victory. He walked five but only allowed two hits. He got out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the fourth with a strikeout and a groundout to keep the AppleSox firmly ahead.

Aiva Arquette collected two hits, including a 2-RBI double in the bottom of the first to put the AppleSox on the board and then scored two batters later on an RBI double from Cole Miller for the third run of the five-run frame. 

Enzo Apodaca drove in a pair of runs with an RBI double in the third and an RBI groundout in the first to score Grant Sherrod. 

It was Sherrod who started the AppleSox’ rally in the third by drawing a two-out walk and then going to third when Miller put down a bunt but the ball was thrown out of play. A wild pitch scored Sherrod and then Apodaca plated Miller for the AppleSox’ final run of the night. 

Kamloops tacked on singular runs in the sixth and seventh innings but Jake Putnam entered in the eighth and tossed a perfect final two innings to wrap up the win.

The AppleSox look to sweep their third series of the summer on Thursday night when they face the NorthPaws at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. It’s a Throwback Thursday with general admission tickets available for a “throwback” price of $2.

Wenatchee will also be sporting special uniforms that pay tribute to the Native American history of North Central Washington. Their uniforms are ones that were designed in collaboration with the Colville tribes for the final two Thursday home games of the 2022 season. Fans can purchase the game-worn uniforms on a first-come, first-serve basis beginning on Thursday and can receive them after July 28’s game.

AppleSox Play Penultimate Game Of Lengthy Homestand Tonight

The Wenatchee AppleSox face the Kamloops NorthPaws tonight at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium in the second-to-last game of their season-long eight-game homestand.

Wenatchee defeated Kamloops, 16-4, last night in the series opener and first-ever meeting between the two teams. The AppleSox pounced on the NorthPaws early with five runs in the second before scoring seven in the third inning and led 13-0 after four innings.

Now the AppleSox look to win their seventh series of the summer. When Wenatchee has won the first game of a three-game set they have gone on to win five series this year.

Last night was the ninth time that the AppleSox have scored 10-or-more runs in a game. They are 8-1 in those instances, including eight straight wins when reaching double-digits. The Sox are 17-6 when scoring five-or-more runs and enter tonight’s action with the third-most runs scored (256) in the WCL along with the second best batting average (.287). Wenatchee sits three runs back of being second and less than 10 points away from having the best batting average. The AppleSox are averaging 10.1 hits per game in their first 37 games this season.

Joichiro Oyama continues to climb closer to a few AppleSox records. The second baseman scored one run last night and now has scored a team and league-best 42 times this summer. He is five away from tying Mitchell Gunsolus’s 2012 AppleSox single-season record with 47 runs. Gunsolus and Kelowna’s Taylor Wright from 2017 hold a share of the WCL record.

Wenatchee sends right-hander Jack Moffitt to the mound for his team-leading seventh start of the summer. The redshirt sophomore at Gonzaga last pitched on July 6 at Kelowna and matched his season-high with 4.1 innings and set a season-high with five strikeouts. Moffitt only allowed one run on five hits and one walk but picked up a no decision. He is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in six appearances, all starts. Moffitt has struck out 19, walked 14 and allowed 25 hits in 20 innings.

Reed Interdonato starts for Kamloops in his fourth start and fifth appearance of the summer. The incoming sophomore at Monmouth is 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA, 11 strikeouts, eight walks and 11 hits in 10.2 innings. He allowed three unearned runs in four innings last Wednesday at Yakima Valley while walking three, allowing one hit and striking out two. He has allowed three runs in less than four innings in all three of his starts this summer.

This is the second-to-last game of this eight-game homestand and tickets are still available at saferseating.com. Wenatchee will wrap up the homestand tomorrow and then be on the road this weekend at Walla Walla before returning home next Tuesday-through-Thursday.

Tonight’s game can be listened to live on kcsyfm.com on your computer or smart phone. If you live in Washington you can listen on your radio on any of the following stations:

·      Wenatchee: 93.9 FM

·      East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM

·      Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM

·      Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM

·      Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM

·      Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM

·      Methow Valley: 106.3 FM

Coverage of tonight’s game begins at 6:10 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show. Stick around after the game to hear the postgame show with player and coach interviews if the AppleSox win.

Four AppleSox Players Selected In 2022 MLB Draft

Three former AppleSox players and one active player were selected in this year’s MLB Draft.

Brett Gillis, Torin Montgomery and Blake Klassen, all from the 2019 AppleSox team that came three outs away from advancing to the West Coast League Championship Series, were selected in addition to current Sox shortstop Aiva Arquette.

Gillis was picked in the ninth round by the Houston Astros. He recorded a 2.78 ERA in 14 appearances for the AppleSox in 2019 and saved two games in 32.1 innings, all in relief. He also recorded 92 at-bats as a position player, splitting time between designated hitting and third base. Gillis hit .239 with three extra-base hits and 10 RBI

He went on to join the Corvallis Knights in 2021 and won the West Coast League Championship with them. Gillis graduated from the University of Portland this past spring after a dominant senior year in which he recorded a 2.24 ERA and struck out 115 hitters over 84.1 innings in 14 games, all starts. He was a second team All-American for both Collegiate Baseball News and ABCA/Rawlings, while also being named the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year, a first time honor for a Portland arm. Gillis was also an ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-Region West First Team selection.

Montgomery was selected in the 14th round by the same team that originally drafted him straight out of high school in 2019, the Miami Marlins. He was a key late-season addition to the 2019 AppleSox, joining them on Aug. 2 and playing in each of the final eight-regular season games. Montgomery hit .344 with two home runs in his cameo then played in all three postseason games while picking up a hit in all but one of the 11 games that he played.

He originally committed to play at Boise State out of high school but the program’s 2020 season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and then shut down. He transferred to Missouri, where he played each of the last two years. Montgomery hit .278 with five home runs in 47 games in 2021 before exploding with a .362 mark and seven home runs in 48 games this spring

Klassen was picked by the Miami Marlins in the 17th round. He played in 44 games with the AppleSox in 2019, primarily at first base, and hit .338 with 14 multi-hit games and earned All-WCL Honorable Mention honors.

Klassen played for the AppleSox prior to his freshman year at Arizona, in which he appeared in three games before transferring to play at Eastern Oklahoma State College for the 2021 season. He hit .388 in 40 games to earn a chance to transfer to UC Santa Barbara and went on to hit .352 in 37 games this spring. Klassen continued to play summer ball in 2020 and 2021 in the Northwoods League and Cape Cod League, respectively.

Arquette got the call that he was the Arizona Diamondbacks’ selection in the 18th round on Tuesday. He is in the midst of an impressive summer with the AppleSox prior to his freshman year at the University of Washington. Arquette is tied for the team lead with 24 RBI and has started 22 consecutive games at shortstop, entering Wednesday night, and 28 games there in total. He has a .325 batting average and has recorded 12 multi-hit games, including a four-hit debut with the AppleSox on June 6.

In addition to baseball Arquette is a phenomenal basketball player. He graduated from Saint Louis High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, this past spring and was the Gatorade State Player of the Year in Hawaii and a state champion in 2022. Arquette ended his high school career a nationally-ranked baseball recruit by Perfect Game.

All four of these players remain amateurs until they official sign contracts with the big-league clubs that drafted them. For more information on the results of the 2022 MLB Draft please visit mlb.com.

Watch a pregame interview with Arquette below later in the day on Tuesday after he learned that he had been selected by Arizona.

AppleSox Strike Early, Defeat NorthPaws Tuesday

The Wenatchee AppleSox scored five runs in the second inning and seven times in the third to defeat the Kamloops NorthPaws, 16-4, on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee led 13-0 after three innings and cruised from there in their first-ever game against Kamloops. The AppleSox improved to 9-1 against expansion teams in 2022 and 8-5 in the first game of a three-game series. They remain in first place in the North Division in the second half with a 6-4 record.

Matt Halbach went 2-for-3 with 4 RBI, including a bases-clearing double in the third inning. Adam Fahsel was 3-for-4 with three runs, 3 RBI and a hit by pitch to reach base the most times of any AppleSox hitter while batting ninth in the order. Aiva Arquette, Corey Jarrell, Grant Sherrod and Ezra Samperi all record two-hit games while Brandham Ponce hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season in the eighth.

Quincy Vassar started for the AppleSox and dominated in his four innings on the bump, only allowing one hit and striking out four. After a strikeout to end the first inning Vassar punched out the side in order in the second inning. He exited after the fourth due to the AppleSox leading 13-0 at the time. Vassar has not allowed any runs in his last 11 innings as a starting pitcher.

Will Jacobson tossed the final four innings to earn his first save of the summer and struck out three in that time. It was also the AppleSox’ seventh team save of the summer, all by seven different pitchers. Every save recorded by an AppleSox reliever has been the result of tossing three-or-more innings out of the bullpen.

The AppleSox look to take the series on Wednesday when they face the NorthPaws again. Jack Moffitt (1-1, 5.40 ERA) makes his team-leading seventh start of the summer. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. and tickets are available at saferseating.com.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast below to hear a recap of the game and interviews with Jacobson, Fahsel, head coach Mitch Darlington and Aiva Arquette.