AppleSox fall to NightOwls 7-3 in road trip opener

NANAIMO, B.C. — The Wenatchee AppleSox dropped the opening game of their Canadian road trip Thursday night, falling 7-3 to the Nanaimo NightOwls at Serauxmen Stadium.

Despite cutting into a 3-1 deficit in the top of the eighth, the AppleSox were unable to contain the NightOwls’ bats in the bottom half of the inning, surrendering four runs that put the game out of reach.

Wenatchee starter Mitch Haythorn (0-2) allowed two runs and struck out six over four innings but was tagged with the loss. Reliever Jace Taylor struck out four over three innings, giving up one run on two hits.

The AppleSox jumped out to a quick lead in the first inning when Brady Bean, who went 2-for-3 with a run scored, came home on a double by Noah Fields. Fields finished the game 1-for-4 with two RBI.

Nanaimo responded in the bottom of the third with an RBI by Eli Watson to tie the game. The NightOwls took the lead in the fourth inning on a throwing error and extended it to 3-1 in the seventh when Talan Zenk scored on an Andrew Nykoluk double.

Wenatchee pulled within one in the eighth after Fields drove in Jake Sanko on a groundout, but the NightOwls answered decisively in their next at-bat. A Jacob Hayes double brought in one run, Nykoluk walked with the bases loaded to add another, and Owen Wessel followed with a two-run single to make it 7-2.

The AppleSox mounted a final effort in the ninth, scoring once and loading the bases, but could not complete the comeback.

The loss drops Wenatchee to 4-3 on the season, tied with Bellingham, Port Angeles, and Nanaimo for third place in the West Coast League North standings.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 6:35 p.m.