2016 Alum Kreidler Makes MLB Debut

Infielder Ryan Kreidler became the 19th former AppleSox player to appear in an MLB game when he made his major-league debut for the Detroit Tigers on Sep. 2.

Kreidler is the second member of the 2016 AppleSox to make his WCL debut in less than a week after Michael Toglia debuted for the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 30.

Kreidler suited up for the AppleSox six summers ago prior to his freshman year at UCLA. He hit .183 in 44 games in WCL play but also hit .294 in five non-league games. Kreidler’s most memorable performance of the 2016 season came in his second-to-last game of the summer when he went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored on Aug. 6 against Bellingham. He finished tied for fourth in the WCL with 31 runs scored.

Kreidler also play summer college baseball the next two years by suiting up for the Mankato MoonDogs of the Northwoods League in 2017 and then the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod League in 2018.

The Tigers selected Kreidler in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft after three strong years at UCLA. Kreidler combined to slash .261/.351/.409 with 51 extra-base hits in 170 games for the Bruins. He finished his collegiate career strong with an impressive junior year in 2019. Kreidler opened the season on a 16-game hitting streak and went on to bat .300 with 18 doubles in 63 games.

Kreidler did not pick up a hit in his major-league debut but bounced back the next night to go 2-for-3 with an RBI against the Kansas City Royals. He started in each of the first three games that he appeared in over the weekend.

Toglia and Kreidler may not be the last members of the 2016 AppleSox to appear in an MLB game. Outfielder Matt Frazier (Pittsburgh Pirates), pitcher Casey Legumina (Minnesota Twins) and outfielder Jeremy Ydens (Washington Nationals) are all at least at the High-A level of the minor leagues.

To learn more about other AppleSox players to appear in an MLB game please visit applesox.com/applesox-in-the-pros.

Toglia Becomes Latest AppleSox Alum To Make MLB Debut

Former AppleSox player Michael Toglia was called up by the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday to make his major-league debut.

Toglia is now the 18th former AppleSox player to appear in an MLB game. He is the first former AppleSox player to make his MLB debut since Drew Rasmussen did so on Aug. 19, 2020.

Toglia shined in his summer with the AppleSox in 2016. The then-incoming freshman at UCLA hit .306 with 22 extra-base hits and won West Coast League MVP. Toglia also smacked seven home runs to lead the WCL and was a 2016 WCL All-Star.

Toglia didn’t finish playing summer ball after his stellar season in Wenatchee. He spent the 2017 and 2018 summers with the Cotuit Kettlers in the Cape Cod League. Toglia ended the 2018 season ranked as the No. 15 prospect in the Cape by Baseball America and the No. 9 position player prospect in the Cape by D1Baseball

The switch-hitter continued to swing a hot bat at UCLA, where he batted .307 with 36 home runs in 178 games over three seasons. Toglia was an All-Pac 12 Team member for his final two years of college after earning a spot on the All American Freshman Team.

The Gig Harbor, Wash. native was selected 23rd overall by Colorado in the first round in the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Toglia’s trip to the majors was not delayed despite not playing in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He spent three seasons in the minors and smacked 61 home runs over that time with four different clubs, starting at Low-A ball in 2019 after being drafted.

To learn more about other AppleSox players to appear in an MLB game please visit applesox.com/applesox-in-the-pros.

Four AppleSox Earn 2022 All-WCL Honors

Joichiro Oyama, Aiva Arquette, Matt Halbach and Grant Sherrod earned 2022 All-West Coast League honors on Thursday as announced by West Coast League commissioner Rob Neyer.

Oyama was honored as All-WCL First Team at second base a day after winning WCL co-MVP. Arquette earned All-WCL Second Team at shortstop while Halbach and Sherrod both got honorable mentions.

Oyama rewrote the AppleSox’ record books in 2023 by becoming the franchise’s new single-season record-holder for walks (42), stolen bases (42), runs (54) and plate appearances (276). The incoming junior at UC Irvine also broke WCL records for stolen bases, runs and plate appearances while also leading the league in triples (6), a figure that also tied an AppleSox single-season record.

Oyama played in all 54 regular-season games for the AppleSox and all three postseason games. He reached base at least once in 53-of-54 regular-season games with either a walk or a hit. The Okinawa, Japan, native recorded three different hitting streaks of at least nine games, including a 12-game hitting streak from June 29-July 15. Oyama also recorded 22 multi-hit games before going on to hit .467 (7-for-15) with six runs and multi-hit efforts in all three postseason games.

Arquette finished second behind Oyama on the AppleSox with a .335 batting average and was a dependable middle-of-the-order bat. The soon-to-be freshman at the University of Washington led the AppleSox and finished tied for fourth in the WCL with 39 RBI. Arquette recorded 19 multi-hit games, including a four-hit effort in his AppleSox debut on June 6 against the Port Angeles Lefties in the 2022 home opener. The Kailua, Hawaii, native wasn’t bothered by playing every day at shortstop and appeared in 36 consecutive games, league and non-league combined, from June 21-Aug. 1.

Halbach hit .329 with 17 multi-hit games and showcased his versatility by playing first base, third base, left field and right field. The incoming sophomore at UC San Diego regularly batted either second or third in the AppleSox batting order and never went back-to-back games without collecting a base hit until his final two games of the regular season. Halbach recorded a personal-best eight-game hitting streak July 3-15 and batted .371 during it. Two of his most exciting moments of the season came during that streak when he hit a go-ahead and eventual game-winning home run in the fifth inning against Kelowna on July 5 and then hit a game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the ninth against Corvallis on July 15. Halbach helped the AppleSox walk off the Knights on July 16 when he reached on an error in the ninth for Wenatchee’s only walkoff victory of 2022.

Sherrod finished 2022 on a tear, batting .352 over his final 18 games. In the midst of that impressive stretch the incoming junior at South Carolina Upstate recorded a 10-game hitting streak, one-of-three AppleSox double-digit hitting streaks in 2022. Sherrod was an on-base machine, drawing 25 walks and posting a .408 on-base percentage in 41 games. One of the most memorable moments of the summer came when Sherrod was pulled from first base with one out in the ninth in the AppleSox’ 10-1 victory over Walla Walla on Aug. 5 so that Sherrod could get a standing ovation from fans and a chance to say goodbye to his teammates before leaving for school the next day.

For a look at other players honored across the West Coast League please view the full release on westcoastleague.com.

Oyama Named WCL co-MVP

The West Coast League announced on Wednesday that AppleSox infielder Joichiro Oyama won a share of the league’s 2022 Most Valuable Player award with Ridgefield’s Jacob Sharp.

Oyama posted one of the greatest seasons in the 22-year history of the Wenatchee AppleSox. The incoming junior at UC Irvine became only the seventh player in team history to play in every regular season game in league play and shattered AppleSox records along the way. Oyama is the new AppleSox’ single-season record-holder for plate appearances (276), runs (54), stolen bases (42) and walks (42) while also tying for the single-season record for triples (6). He also broke the WCL single-season record for runs and stolen bases with his historic 2022 campaign.

"Oyama's game can best be described as electric,” AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington said. “He brings a ton of energy to the top of the lineup and his ability to single-handedly manufacture runs is impressive to watch. Jo's discipline and love for the game is going to take him a long ways in this game. Our entire organization is excited to see Jo's career blossom at UC Irvine."

Oyama was an on-base machine for the AppleSox this summer. He reached base at least once in 53-of-54 regular-season games with either a walk or a hit. The Okinawa, Japan, native recorded three different hitting streaks of at least nine games, including a 12-game hitting streak from June 29-July 15. Oyama also recorded 22 multi-hit games before going on to hit .467 (7-for-15) with six runs and multi-hit efforts in all three postseason games.

This is the second time this season that the WCL has honored Oyama. He also won the league’s Moss Adams Player of the Week Honor for June 6-12 after batting 13-for-25 and scoring 11 runs in six games, five of which were AppleSox victories.

In addition to his brilliant on-field play Oyama was also honored with the AppleSox’ Tommy Watanabe Award for his love of the game and respect for all involved in it. Oyama was a clubhouse and fan favorite for his big season but also his infectious personality that touched all whom he came into contact with whenever he was at the field.

Oyama is the fourth AppleSox player to be honored as the league’s MVP. This is the first year that two players have shared the WCL MVP honor. Oyama joins Steve Marquardt (2005), Mitchell Gunsolus (2012) and Michael Toglia (2015) as AppleSox players to win WCL MVP.

Men Left On Base Cost AppleSox

Jack Moffitt tossed a season-high six innings but the Wenatchee AppleSox fell to the Bellingham Bells, 4-2, in the North Division Championship Game on Saturday night at Joe Martin Field. 

Wenatchee out-hit Bellingham, 10-4, but could not overcome stranding 10 men on the basepaths. The AppleSox tallied two runs after scoring 29 in a two-game sweep of the Kamloops NorthPaws in the North Division Semifinals. 

The Bells broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out 2-RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning on a long fly ball that right field Steven Meier nearly made a fantastic running catch on. 

Moffitt cruised through the first five innings before allowing a pair of unearned runs in the sixth. A ground ball to short with the bases loaded and one out looked like it would end the inning but second baseman Joichiro Oyama’s throw to first sailed high and into the Bellingham dugout to allow two runs to score. 

Oyama scored Wenatchee’s first run with a one-out triple in the third and came home on a sacrifice fly by Xander Orejudos. 

Wenatchee loaded up the bases with one out in the seventh but only scored once. Adam Fahsel put down a suicide-squeeze bunt single to score Meier. The AppleSox tried the same play again but CJ Horn’s bunt back to the mound led to a force out at home and Brandham Ponce flew out to center to end the AppleSox’ best chance of the night.

The AppleSox did have a chance to take the lead again in the eighth. Cole Cramer hit a one-out triple to center off the glove of centerfielder Touissant Bythewood, but he was stranded at third. Bythewood made the AppleSox pay with his 2-RBI double in the bottom of the inning.

The Bells face the Corvallis Knights on Monday night in the West Coast League Championship Game at 6:35 at Goss Stadium. Corvallis defeated the Ridgefield Raptors, 5-2, on Saturday night in the South Division Championship Game.

The AppleSox qualified for the postseason this summer for the 14th time in their 22nd season but could not make it to the West Coast League Championship Game. Wenatchee broke single-season records in walks, runs, stolen bases and RBI this summer while Joichiro Oyama broke single-season records for runs, stolen bases, walks and plate appearances while also tying for single-season records for triples and games played.

AppleSox Face Bellingham In North Division Championship Game

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox continue their postseason run by traveling to face the Bellingham Bells in the North Division Championship Game on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Joe Martin Field.

Wenatchee is two wins away from capturing its sixth West Coast League Championship and seventh league championship, but now must win consecutive do-or-die road games. The winner of the North Division Championship Game will face the winner of tonight’s South Division Championship Game, a matchup between the Corvallis Knights and the Ridgefield Raptors, in the West Coast League Championship Game.

The AppleSox advanced to the North Division Championship Game by sweeping the Kamloops NorthPaws in the North Division Semifinals. Wenatchee won Game 1 on Tuesday, 12-1, at Norbrock Stadium before returning home and winning, 17-2m on Wednesday at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee led the WCL in runs scored and finished in second in batting average in the regular season and carried that momentum into the postseason. The AppleSox hit .415 and scored 29 runs in the two victories over Kamloops. Wenatchee scored 13 more runs than the next two closest teams did in the first round (Corvallis and Ridgefield both scored 16 runs apiece) and allowed the fewest runs in the Semifinals.

Seven-of-nine AppleSox hitters who appeared in both games are batting .444 or better. Joichiro Oyama and Xander Orejudos both hit .500 and scored six runs apiece while batting first and second, respectively, in the batting order both nights.

Now the AppleSox face the Bells, who swept the regular-season series between the two teams with a win in all six games June 14-19. The AppleSox’ bats were shut out only twice this season and both instances came in a three-day span against the Bells, June 14 and 16.

Bellingham advanced to the North Division Championship Game by sweeping their semifinal series against Victoria. The Bells scored three runs in the sixth in Game 1 on Tuesday to break a 2-2 tie and then scored three more times in the eighth inning to pick up a series-opening 8-2 victory. Bellingham swept Victoria with a three-run bottom of the eighth inning on Wednesday to come back from a 2-1 deficit.

Malcom Moore has led the way for the Bells at the plate this postseason. The incoming freshman at Stanford is a perfect 8-for-8 in two postseason games after hitting .400 in 13 games in the regular season. Moore has recorded eight multi-hit games in the 15 that he has played in, including four games with three-or-more hits. He went 5-for-5 on Wednesday with 2 RBI in the series-clinching victory.

The 2022 North Division Championship 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 the 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. 

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast to learn more about the AppleSox’ opponent, the Bellingham Bells. AppleSox broadcaster Joel Norman catches up with Bells broadcaster Ryan Carlson. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts by searching ‘AppleSox.’

AppleSox Sweep NorthPaws, Advance To Division Championship

The Wenatchee AppleSox swept their first-round playoff series against the Kamloops NorthPaws with a 17-2 victory on Wednesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox won the first two games in the best-of-three North Division Semifinals and now advance to face the Bellingham Bells this weekend in a do-or-die North Division Championship Game on Saturday at Joe Martin Field.

The AppleSox dazzled in what turned out to be their final home game of the 2022 season. Wenatchee matched a 2022 single-game high by blasting three home runs and finished one hit away from their single-game hight for runs and hits this summer.

Brandham Ponce played in his first game for the AppleSox since July 20 and delivered with a huge night, finishing a triple away from hitting for the cycle. Ponce went 4-for-5 with three runs, 2 RBI and a walk. He homered to lead off the third inning and nearly hit his second in as many innings in his next at-bat but settled for an RBI double off the left-center field fence.

CJ Horn and Xander Orejudos also hit home runs in the offensive onslaught with their two blasts coming in a seven-run sixth inning. It was the first time since July 1 against Bend that Wenatchee homered three times in the same game.

Every AppleSox hitter recorded at least one hit and seven recorded multi-hit efforts. Joichrio Oyama reached base four times, collected three hits and scored three runs. Nino Vultaggio went 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored and Cole Cramer drove in four runs with a three-hit night.

Even with all of the offense the AppleSox still got a superb effort on the mound for the second straight night from a pitcher from Brewster. Quincy Vassar struck out eight in seven innings and only allowed a pair of runs in his first appearance since July 24 at Walla Walla.

Vassar and the AppleSox got off on the wrong foot when a triple and a throwing error scored a run in the top of the first but Vassar would go on to retire 11 consecutive hitters from midway through the first inning until the end of the fourth. Wenatchee took an 8-1 lead before Kamloops broke that stretch of dominance from Vassar.

The AppleSox won seven-of-eight games against the NorthPaws this summer, outscoring them 90-40. Wenatchee also won 15-of-17 games against expansion teams in 2022.

Now the AppleSox will face the Bellingham Bells in the North Division Championship Game this Saturday at Joe Martin Field. The Bells swept the Victoria HarbourCats in their North Division Semifinals Series with an 8-2 in Victoria on Tuesday and a 4-2 win at Bellingham on Wednesday. Wenatchee dropped six games in six straight days against the Bells, June 14-19, in the regular season.

The winner of Saturday’s North Division Championship Game will face either Yakima Valley, Corvallis or Ridgefield in the West Coast League Championship Game. Ridgefield swept Portland while Corvallis forced a deciding Game 3 with a 5-3 win on Wednesday. The WCL Championship Game will be held at the ballpark of the team with the best overall record in the regular season. Wenatchee (27-27) had the worst overall record of all five remaining teams.

AppleSox Return Home For Game 2 vs Kamloops

The Wenatchee AppleSox return to Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium to face the Kamloops NorthPaws in Game 2 of the North Division Series Semifinals tonight at 6:35.

The AppleSox won Game 1 last night with a 12-1 victory at Norbrock Stadium. Wenatchee scored three-or-more runs in three different innings while Conner Ashworth and Brooks Rasmussen combined to strike out 11 hitters.

Last night’s win marked the fifth consecutive game that the AppleSox struck out at least nine hitters in. Wenatchee pitching finished the regular season fourth in the West Coast League with 448 strikeouts.

A Wenatchee victory tonight sends them to this weekend’s singular North Division Championship Game. The winner of this series will face the winner of the Victoria-Bellingham series. Bellingham took Game 1 on the road last night.

If the AppleSox lose tonight then they will face the NorthPaws in a do-or-die Game 3 tomorrow night at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee sends Quincy Vassar to the mound hoping to advance to the next round. He’s the second straight Brewster native to start for the AppleSox in as many days. Vassar finished fifth in the WCL with 45 strikeouts over nine games this summer. The southpaw went 2-3 with a 4.74 ERA but tossed five-or-more innings in five-of-seven starts. 

One-of-the-two games that Vassar didn’t toss five innings in was against the NorthPaws on July 19. The lefty struck out six and only allowed one hit in four shutout innings vs Kamloops and was pulled with the AppleSox ahead 13-0.

Colby Ring tosses for the NorthPaws in a must-win game. He went 2-2 with a 5.81 ERA in 11 games (9 starts) in the regular season. The left-hander from Antelope Valley struck out 34, walked 32 and allowed 40 hits in 38.2 innings this season. 

Ring pitched against Vassar back on Aug. 3 and the AppleSox scored 11 runs (eight earned) on seven hits and three walks in 2.1 innings against him. He twice tossed six shutout innings against the Edmonton Riverhawks this year. 

Tickets to tonight’s game are available now at saferseating.com and fans are encouraged to beat the lines for walk-up ticket sales by purchasing their seats in advance online.

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 Take Game 1 At Kamloops

The Wenatchee AppleSox scored three-or-more runs in three innings to defeat the Kamloops NorthPaws, 12-1, in Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals on Tuesday night at Norbrock Stadium. 

Adam Fahsel and CJ Horn both went 3-for-4 at the plate with Horn driving in three runs and Fahsel plating two. Xander Orejudos went 2-for-3 with three runs, two walks and 1 RBI.

Conner Ashworth punched out five hitters and did not allow any hits in the first five innings before exiting a couple batters into the sixth. It was Ashworth’s second start of the summer and his longest outing in five appearances with the AppleSox.

Rasmussen came in during the sixth inning and allowed one inherited run to score on a double steal but struck out three straight hitters in that inning and extended his scoreless streak to 11.1 innings in three relief appearances. The right-hander from Columba Basin struck out seven in four scoreless innings.

The AppleSox scored three runs in the third and then three more in the fifth before blowing it open with a five-run sixth inning. Wenatchee never trailed and stole four bases on five attempts. Wenatchee collected 12 hits but also drew seven walks and one hit by pitch. They only collected one extra-base hit, which came on a Joichiro Oyama double with one out in the seventh.

Game 2 is Thursday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium at 6:35. If Wenatchee wins, then it advances to the North Division Championship Game. If the AppleSox lose, then they will face the NorthPaws again at 6:35 on Thursday. 

AppleSox Open Up Postseason At Kamloops

The Wenatchee AppleSox open up the postseason with Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals against the Kamloops NorthPaws tonight at 6:35 at Norbrock Stadium.

The AppleSox are back in the postseason for the 14th time in their 22nd season of existence. Wenatchee is looking to win its sixth West Coast League Championship and seventh league title overall (2003 Pacific International League Champions).

Wenatchee started the season slow, going 12-15 in the first half, but flipped that record to win the North Division Second Half title and earn home-field advantage in the first round. Joichiro Oyama led the way this year, becoming the seventh player in AppleSox history to play in every league game of the regular season. The incoming junior at UC Irvine also broke AppleSox’ single-season records for walks, stolen bases and runs scored while tying the team’s single-season record for triples. Oyama won WCL Player of the Week for June 6-12 and also broke the league’s single-season records for stolen bases and runs scored.

The AppleSox now face the NorthPaws, who are the only team of the four 2022 expansion squads to make the playoffs in their inaugural season. Kamloops is the fourth team to make the playoffs in their first season in the WCL, not including the league’s first season in 2005. The NorthPaws join the Medford Rogues in 2013, the Yakima Valley Pippins in 2014 and the Portland Pickles in 2018 on that list.

This best-of-three series means that the AppleSox will have faced each other at least eight times in the last four weeks. Wenatchee took five-of-six games in the regular-season series, sweeping Kamloops at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium July 19-21 before taking the series at Norbrock Stadium July 29-31.

The NorthPaws salvaged the most recent series against the AppleSox with an 11-6 win on July 31 and that victory marked their first of five consecutive to help propel them to a playoff spot. Kamloops was second in the first half with a 13-10 mark but went 13-17 to finish the season 26-27 and in third place in the North Division.

Following tonight’s Game 1 the series shifts to Wenatchee for Game 2 on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. Tickets can be purchased now at saferseating.com

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 Breaks WCL Steals Record In AppleSox Loss

Joichiro Oyama stole two bases to set the West Coast League’s single-season record but the Wenatchee AppleSox lost to the Walla Walla Sweets, 7-5, on Sunday afternoon at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. 

The incoming junior at UC Irvine finished the season with 42 stolen bases, passing Patrick Caulfield’s 41 stolen bases in 2019. Ironically, Oyama set the record against the same team that Caulfield played for that summer. 

In addition to breaking the West Coast League’s stolen base record for a single season, Oyama also shattered the league’s record for runs scored with 64 in 2022. Oyama set AppleSox single-season records for runs, stolen bases, walks and tied for the most triples. 

Oyama also picked up a pair of hits to record his 22nd multi-hit game of the summer. His appearance in Sunday’s regular-season finale was his 54th game played of the season, meaning that he suited it up in every West Coast League regular season game played of the 2022 season. He became the seventh player in the 22-year history of the AppleSox to appear in every regular season league game. 

Oyama helped the AppleSox tie the game up when he doubled in a run following a Steven Meier one-out triple in the third inning. Oyama stole second and then scored on an RBI infield single by Ezra Samperi to make it 2-1, AppleSox. 

Walla Walla tied it up with a run in the next half inning and the game remained tied at 2-2 until the bottom of the seventh. Cole Cramer doubled to left-center before Nino Vultaggio doubled a pop fly in shallow right that was lost in the sun to put runners at second and third. A fielder’s choice and a walk loaded up the bases with one out and another fielder’s choice scored a run to give the AppleSox the lead and then they added a run of insurance a backpack throw to third then went into left field. 

Wenatchee went into the ninth looking to win the game but could not overcome allowing five runs to score with Walla Walla down to its final two outs. Oyama broke the stolen-base record in the bottom of the ninth on a double steal. The throw came to second but went into center field. Steven Meier, who stole third on the play, collided with the third baseman as he tried to round third and was awarded home plate due to defensive interference but Oyama was caught in a rundown. 

Though the AppleSox could not pick up their fourth sweep of the summer they did win their ninth series. Wenatchee will take on the Kamloops NorthPaws in the North Division Semifinals this week. Game 1 is Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. at Walla Walla while Games 2 and (if necessary) 3 are in Wenatchee on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, at 6:35 each night.

AppleSox Win Second Half North Division Title

The Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Walla Walla Sweets, 10-1, on Saturday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium and won the North Division’s second half title.

Because of Wenatchee’s win and Victoria defeating Edmonton on Saturday night the worst that the AppleSox can do is finish with the same record in the second half as Edmonton. However, the AppleSox hold the tiebreaker over the Riverhawks by winning two-of-three games in the season series.

Wenatchee will host either Edmonton or Kamloops on Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 6:35 p.m. in Game 2 of the North Division Semifinals at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Game 3, if necessary, will be played on Thursday, Aug. 11, at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. For tickets, please call 509-665-6900 or email info@applesox.com.

The AppleSox pitching staff combined to strike out 11 hitters and Tyler Chipman led the way by punching out six in four innings. Garrett Gores (2-2) earned the victory with three scoreless innings and two more punchouts in that time.

The AppleSox’ offense jumped on the Sweets early, scoring eight runs in the first four innings. Wenatchee only collected one RBI base hit but cashed in thanks to seven walks and four Walla Walla errors. The AppleSox’ four-run third inning was their most productive and that frame made it 8-1, Wenatchee.

Joichiro Oyama picked up a pair of hits and stole his 40th bag of the season in the first inning. He is one steal away from matching Patrick Caulfield’s West Coast League single-season record for stolen bases, set in 2019 while playing for Walla Walla. If he appears in Sunday’s game then he will be the seventh AppleSox player to appear in every league game of an AppleSox season.

The regular season wraps up Sunday at 1:05 p.m. It’s the final Family Fun Day of the 2022 season. Fans who arrive early will receive Adam Fahsel, Jake Putnam and CJ Horn baseball cards. Kids can sign up to high-five AppleSox players as they take the field and then run the bases after the game. All fans 21-and-older can purchase mimosas at the third-base concession stand, which will also be serving brisket.

AppleSox Play Penultimate Game of 2022 Regular Season Tonight

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox go for their ninth series victory of the summer tonight as they face the Walla Walla Sweets at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee clinched a postseason spot with a 10-1 win last night. Evan Canfield struck out five over five scoreless innings and then Hunter Gibson punched out four more in the final four innings for the series-opening win. The AppleSox also scored five runs in the third inning and then five more in the seventh.

With 10 runs scored last night the AppleSox continue to lead the West Coast League in runs scored with 373 through their first 52 games. They have shattered their previous record of 348 in 54 games in 2019. The AppleSox also have the league’s second-best batting average with a .286 mark.

The AppleSox can clinch the North Division second half title by winning on Saturday or Sunday as long as Edmonton does not sweep Victoria. The Riverhawks defeated the HarbourCats, 9-8, on Friday night, so a Victoria win on Saturday along with an AppleSox victory would give Wenatchee the second half title and home-field advantage in the first round of the postseason. That would mean that the AppleSox would be the second seed in the North Division Semifinals and would host Game 2 on Wednesday, Aug. 10 and Game 3, if necessary, on Aug. 11.

Tyler Chipman starts for the second time this year in the penultimate game of the regular season. He is in his third season pitching for the AppleSox and was acknowledged prior to Friday night’s game for this achievement. The righthander from Seattle U has no record and a 9.31 ERA in five appearances with five strikeouts, 13 walks and 14 hits allowed in 9.2 innings.

Hayden Hattenbach tosses for Walla Walla in his fifth start of the season. The southpaw is 0-4 with an 8.12 ERA, 25 strikeouts, 19 walks and 24 hits in 31 innings over 10 games. Hattenbach, a UC Santa Barbara product, seven runs (five earned) over four innings a week ago against Corvallis and also suffered the loss the week before that against the AppleSox. On July 24 he surrendered five runs on four hits and four walk with three strikeouts in four innings against Wenatchee.

Tonight’s game is sponsored by Sunny FM and Journey Travel and Tours. They are giving away a free trip to Hawaii for five nights at the Royal Kona Resort with accommodation and travel provided. Nine random ticket numbers will be drawn and those nine fans will head onto the field to roll coconuts after the game. The closest coconut to home plate wins the free trip to Hawaii. Beat the lines at the game by purchasing tickets now at saferseating.com.

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 Clinch 14th Postseason Berth In Franchise History

Evan Canfield tossed five shutout innings and the Wenatchee AppleSox scored five runs in two different innings to defeat the Walla Walla Sweets, 10-1, on Friday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox have assured that they will play in the postseason next week thanks to Friday’s win. Wenatchee can, at worst, finish 26-28 to end the regular season. If Edmonton and Kamloops both win their final two games and the AppleSox lose both of their remaining games then both teams would surpass the AppleSox for overall record. Victoria lost on Friday and if they were to lose their next two, then they would miss the postseason with a 24-30 record, thus opening the fourth and final spot for the AppleSox if they lost out.

Canfield (4-0) entered Friday’s game without any runs allowed at home over three previous appearances and added to it with his longest start of the summer. He walked four but also struck out five to earn the playoff-clinching win.

Hunter Gibson struck out four over the final four innings to earn his second save of the summer.

Xander Orejudos drove in a pair of runs and recorded two hits to extend his hitting streak to eight games. CJ Horn also extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI single in the seventh inning.

Joichiro Oyama walked and scored twice and also stole his 39th base in the seventh. He is two away from tying the West Coast League’s single-season stolen base record, set in 2019 by Walla Walla’s Patrick Caulfield. Oyama leads the WCL in steals, runs, walks, at-bats and hits.

Grant Sherrod drove in a pair of runs with a 2-RBI bases-loaded single in the eighth inning but his real highlight of the night came in the ninth inning when head coach Mitch Darlington removed him from first base with two outs in the ninth inning so that fans could applaud. Sherrod, playing in his final game of the summer with the AppleSox, hugged his teammates on the field before heading to the dugout to a loud ovation from the packed house of 1,280 fans.

The AppleSox can clinch the North Division second half title by winning on Saturday or Sunday as long as Edmonton does not sweep Victoria. The Riverhawks defeated the HarbourCats, 9-8, on Friday night, so a Victoria win on Saturday along with an AppleSox victory would give Wenatchee the second half title and home-field advantage in the first round of the postseason. That would mean that the AppleSox would be the second seed in the North Division Semifinals and would host Game 2 on Wednesday, Aug. 10 and Game 3, if necessary, on Aug. 11.

Wenatchee looks to take the series from the Sweets on Saturday night on Hawaiian Night. All fans in attendance are eligible to win a free trip to Hawaii with travel and accommodations paid for, thanks to Journey Travel and Tours and Sunny FM.

AppleSox Return Home Looking To Clinch Postseason Berth

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox return home to wrap up the regular season this weekend, beginning tonight at 6:35 p.m. against the Walla Walla Sweets.

The AppleSox fell in the rubber match at the Yakima Valley Pippins, 5-4, last night at Yakima Valley Pippins. Jack Moffitt and Will Jacobson combined to strike out 10 hitters and the AppleSox scored four runs in the eighth inning but could not overcome committing three errors.

The AppleSox remain tied for first place despite the loss. The Edmonton Riverhawks rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Port Angeles Lefties, 6-3, thanks to a five-run top of the ninth inning. Both teams are 13-11 but the AppleSox hold the tiebreaker thanks to winning two-of-three games in the season series between the two squads.

Even with Edmonton tied for first place they are currently slotted as the fourth seed in the postseason because the Kamloops NorthPaws have a better overall record. Wenatchee would host Games 2 and, if necessary, 3 of the North Division Series Semifinals while Kamloops would host Game 1, if the season ended today.

The AppleSox can clinch a postseason berth with a win this weekend. Victoria hosts Edmonton and the only way that both of those teams qualify for the postseason ahead of Wenatchee is if the AppleSox are swept and the HarbourCats only win two-of-three games against the Riverhawks.

Wenatchee can win the North Division second half playoff spot by winning two-of-three games and Victoria or Edmonton not getting swept by the other.

This is the third-to-last game of the regular season, all of which will be played at home, and tonight is sponsored by Confluence Health. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. and gates open at 5:30. Tickets can be purchased at saferseating.com.

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 Rally Late But Can't Defeat Pippins

The Wenatchee AppleSox scored four runs in the eighth inning but fell to the Yakima Valley Pippins, 5-4, on Thursday night at Yakima County Stadium.

Jack Moffitt (2-3) struck out five in five innings and allowed three unearned runs in the fifth innings to pick up a tough-luck loss despite matching his longest outing of the summer. Will Jacobson tossed the final three innings and struck out a season-best five hitters.

Wenatchee hit into three double plays, including a game-ending double play with runners at first and second and one out in the top of the ninth inning. The AppleSox loaded up the bases with one out in the third inning before hitting into their first double play of the night in their best chance to take the first lead of the game.

Yakima Valley broke open a scoreless tie with three runs in the fifth and then added two more runs in the sixth thanks to a couple of errors.

Eight hitters came to the plate to get the AppleSox on the board in the eighth and within one run of tying the game up. Xander Orejudos reached on an infield single and a throwing error scored Joichiro Oyama all the way from second base. Grant Sherrod and CJ Horn hit RBI doubles before Steven Meier put down a suicide squeeze bunt to score pinch runner Corey Jarrell from third.

The AppleSox remain tied for first place despite the loss. The Edmonton Riverhawks rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Port Angeles Lefties, 6-3, thanks to a five-run top of the ninth inning. Both teams are 13-11 but the AppleSox hold the tiebreaker thanks to winning two-of-three games in the season series between the two squads.

Even with Edmonton tied for first place they are currently slotted as the fourth seed in the postseason because the Kamloops NorthPaws have a better overall record. Wenatchee would host Games 2 and, if necessary, 3 of the North Division Series Semifinals while Kamloops would host Game 1, if the season ended today.

The AppleSox return home on Friday night to face the Walla Walla Sweets for the final series of the regular season. Walla Walla has already been eliminated from the playoffs but took two-of-three games against Wenatchee two weeks ago at Borleske Stadium. Friday night’s game is at 6:35 and is sponsored by Confluence Health. Tickets can be purchased at saferseating.com.

AppleSox Battle Pippins In Rubber Match Tonight

The Wenatchee AppleSox look to build off the momentum of last night’s win and take the series as they face the Yakima Valley Pippins at 7:05 p.m. at Yakima County Stadium.

Wenatchee trailed 2-0 entering the fifth but scored each of its eight runs over the final four innings, including bursting out for four runs in the seventh, to defeat Yakima Valley, 8-3. Jack DeDonato allowed one run in five strong innings of relief and Joichiro Oyama went 3-for-5 to record his 20th multi-hit game of the summer.

Now, the AppleSox play their eighth rubber match of the summer as they look to win their ninth series. Wenatchee won each of its first three winner-take-the-series games before losing each of the last four entering tonight.

The AppleSox are also looking to inch closer to a postseason berth with a win tonight. Wenatchee is in first place in the North Division in the second half with a 13-10 record. Victoria is a half game back while Edmonton is one game behind Wenatchee at 12-11. The AppleSox can earn a postseason berth by either finishing with the best record in the North Division in the second half, tying Bellingham, Edmonton or Victoria for first place in the second half or by having one of the four-best overall records in the division.

Nanaimo and Port Angeles have been eliminated from postseason contention so five teams in the North Division are battling for three remaining postseason spots. Bellingham has already clinched a postseason berth by winning the first half.

Jack Moffitt makes his team-leading ninth start of the summer tonight in the series-decider. The righthander from Gonzaga is 2-2 with a 5.89 ERA and has struck out 26, walked 22 and allowed 34 hits in 29 innings. He last pitched on July 27, allowing seven runs on seven hits, three walks and one strikeout over four innings against the Cowlitz Black Bears.

Liam McCallum starts on the mound for the Pippins in his fifth start of the summer. The southpaw from Gonzaga is 0-2 with a 3.80 ERA and has struck out 16, walked 18 and allowed 22 hits in six games over 26 innings. He last pitched on Friday against Kelowna, allowing three runs on four hits, two walks and three strikeouts over six innings and suffered the loss. McCallum is a two-way player who has also hit .395 in 12 games at the plate this summer and is 1-for-5 in two games against the AppleSox this week.

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.

DeDonato, Big Late Innings Lead AppleSox To Win

Jack DeDonato tossed the final five innings in relief and the Wenatchee AppleSox scored six runs over the seventh and eighth innings to defeat the Yakima Valley Pippins, 8-3, on Wednesday night at Yakima County Stadium. 

DeDonato (1-0) entered in the fifth and only exited after tossing a 1-2-3 inning to close out the win. He struck out three and his only blemish was a leadoff solo home run in the eighth inning. 

Joichiro Oyama led the offense with a 3-for-5 night for his 20th multi-hit game of the summer. He also stole his 38th base and has played in all 50 games, batting leadoff in 49 of them. 

Xander Orejudos went 2-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to six games. He has recorded five multi-hit games in that span is batting .444 over this streak. 

The AppleSox trailed 2-0 entering the fifth inning but cashed in on five Pippins errors to earn the win. Oyama singled in a run in the fifth before Orejudos hit a hot shot to third that went through the leg’s of the third baseman to tie the game.

The AppleSox plated four in the seventh thanks to 10 men coming to the plate. Orejudos drove in one with his second hit of the game and then an error, a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk plated the other runs. The Pippins got a run back in the bottom of the seventh before Wenatchee scored on the in the seventh on two-out RBI singles by CJ Horn and Steven Meier.

Thursday night is the AppleSox’ eighth rubber match of the summer. Wenatchee won each of it’s first three winner-take-the-series games before dropping each of the last four. The AppleSox are looking to win their ninth series of the summer as they face the Pippins at 7:05 p.m. before returning home on Friday night to face the Walla Walla Sweets at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast below to hear a recap of the game, highlights and interviews with DeDonato, Oyama, Mitch Darlington and Cole Cramer. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast today on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Continue Series With Pippins Tonight

The Wenatchee AppleSox and Yakima Valley Pippins battled in a 12-inning classic and will take on each other again tonight at 6:35 at Yakima County Stadium.

Wenatchee fell to 1-3 in extra-inning games with last night’s loss but still remains in first place in the North Division in the second half because the Edmonton Riverhawks fell to the Port Angeles Lefties, 10-5, on Tuesday night. The Riverhawks and the AppleSox both have identical 12-10 records in the second half but the AppleSox hold the tiebreaker, thanks to winning the season series in late June.

The AppleSox face the Pippins again tonight and look to even up the series. Wenatchee rallied back from a 9-0 deficit to win on Saturday at Kamloops but was unable to hold a couple of large leads last night. The AppleSox led by four runs after four innings and then by five runs after six-and-a-half innings but the Pippins ultimately sent the game to extra innings with a two-out RBI infield single.

Despite the loss, Grant Sherrod drove in three runs and extended his hitting streak 10 games with a 2-for-6 night. The AppleSox first baseman is batting .333 (15-for-45) on this streak, which is the third different AppleSox hitting streak of at least 10 games. Joichiro Oyama and Michael Davinni both recorded 12-game hit streaks earlier this summer.

Conner Ashworth makes his first start of the summer tonight for the AppleSox. The righthander from Montana State University Billings has pitched in three games and has a 1.42 ERA with 10 strikeouts, four walks and four hits in 6.2 innings. Ashworth last pitched a week ago at home against Cowlitz. The Brewster native tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in his first outing since June 17. Ashworth dominated in his first appearance of the summer with the AppleSox on June 7 against Port Angeles. He retired all nine hitters that he faced in order and struck out each of the last eight.

Yakima Valley sends Chris Grothues to the mound for his fifth start of the summer. The southpaw is 3-3 with a 7.66 ERA in nine games with 29 strikeouts, 28 walks and 30 hits in 24.2 innings. Grothues, an incoming freshman at UCLA, last pitched on Sunday, when he tossed a scoreless inning in relief against the Kelowna Falcons. Prior to that he made his most recent start on July 18 and only allowed one hit and three walks over six shutout innings while striking out eight.

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 Fall To Pippins in 12 Innings

The Wenatchee AppleSox never trailed until the final play of the game but that was the difference as they lost to the Yakima Valley Pippins, 11-10, on Tuesday night at Yakima County Stadium. 

Grant Sherrod and Cole Cramer both drove in three runs apiece and Brooks Rasmussen also plated a pair of runs but the Pippins walked off the AppleSox in extras. Sherrod record two hits to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He is the third AppleSox hitter with a double-digit hitting streak this summer and is two away from matching the season-high mark.

DJ Massey picked up three hits and scored twice while Joichiro Oyama finished a home run away from hitting a cycle. Oyama’s leadoff triple in the first inning was his sixth of the summer, which ties him with Keston Hiura’s total from 2015 for the AppleSox’ single-season record. Oyama already holds the AppleSox’ single-season records for runs and stolen bases.

Wenatchee led 6-2 after four-and-a-half and then 10-5 after six-and-a-half innings but could not hold onto either lead. The AppleSox also loaded up the bases with one out in the top of the 10th but could not plate the go-ahead run.

The AppleSox scored first with a two-run top of the first and also scored four in the fourth and three more in the seventh after one in the sixth. They did not score again from the eighth inning on.

Wenatchee’s five-run lead heading into the seventh-inning stretch looked secure until the Pippins sent nine men to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning and scored four runs. The AppleSox were one strike away from winning the series opener but a two-strike infield single in the bottom of the ninth scored a runner from third to tie the game up and send it to extra innings.

Wenatchee remains in first place in the North Division in the second half thanks to the Edmonton Riverhawks’ 10-5 loss to the Port Angeles Lefties on Tuesday night. The Riverhawks and the AppleSox both have identical 12-10 records in the second half but the AppleSox hold the tiebreaker, thanks to winning the season series.

The AppleSox look to bounce back on Wednesday night when they face the Pippins again at 6:35 p.m.