The Kamloops NorthPaws lost 4-3 in Wenatchee on Tuesday night in the first of a three-game series to open the week. The Apple Sox scored all four of their runs in the third inning and held on late as the NorthPaws had the tying run in scoring position during the ninth inning. New outfielder from the University of Texas at Tyler Connor Clark drove in all three of the NorthPaws runs in his first game with the team.
The NorthPaws wasted no time in the top of the first; second baseman Elijah Clayton led off with a walk and a stolen base. Two pitches later, Clark doubled to the gap in right-center field, allowing Clayton to score the game’s first run.
Kamloops starting Pitcher Mason Chien was on the mound for his second start of the season and worked his way out of a jam in the bottom of the first by picking off a runner and making a play on a ground ball hit right back at him to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third, two singles and two doubles would score three for the Apple Sox. Chien would field a ground ball for the potential second out of the inning but committed a throwing error, making it 4-1.
In the top of the seventh, the Apple Sox pulled starting pitcher Blake Sandvik, who went six innings, giving up one earned run on five hits while striking out seven batters. The NorthPaws got off to a slow start, recording back-to-back quick outs.
Center fielder Ethan Kodama singled to kickstart the rally. Clayton would follow suit, and Kodma advanced to third. A few pitches later, Clayton stole his second base of the night. Clark was back at the plate and singled down the left field line, scoring the UC Berkley teammates, making it a one-run ball game.
Unfortunately for the NorthPaws, that’s all they would get, as Clayton was on second base with two outs in the top of the ninth, and Clark couldn’t work his magic for a third time, grounding out to end the game.
Clark, along with UT Tyler teammate shortstop Drew Schmidt, each had a pair of hits and were driving forces for the NorthPaws offence.
“Those two are great ball players; that’s what I expect from them. They play the game hard, and I’m sure things are going to go their way this summer,” said Head Coach Reily Jepson.
Another bright spot in the lineup was Ethan Kodama. The center fielder quietly lead the team in hits with three and has collected six hits in his last three games despite being ninth in the teams batting order.
“It’s nice having a guy at the bottom of the order who has hit leadoff in the past because even tonight, he led off multiple innings and turned the order back over to the top,” said Assistant Coach Trey Newman.
One rocky inning on the mound was ultimately the breaking point in tonight’s game, but certainly nothing that Pitching coach Jack Slominski wants to hang his head about.
” I thought that was one of our best-pitched games of the year. We just couldn’t get the one big hit,” said Slominski.
The NorthPaws will hope that they can manufacture more runs in game two when they take on the Apple Sox once again. The first pitch is set for 6:35, and you can watch it on West Coast League TV or listen on the NorthPaws Mixlr.
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