The Bellingham Bells fell one win short of sweeping a third series, but they remain atop the West Coast League standings after winning two home games against the Kelowna Falcons June 13–15 at Joe Martin Stadium.
Kelowna (7-5) brought Bellingham’s seven-game win streak to an end June 15 in the series’ final game, though the Bells (10-2) maintain a one-game edge over the Wenatchee AppleSox and Victoria HarbourCats (9-3) for the league lead.
Bells right-handed pitchers Jack Erdman and Ryan Beitel are currently the only players in the WCL with at least 10 innings pitched and no runs allowed. Left-hander Owen Murdock has also pitched eight innings without allowing a single run, bolstering Bellingham’s league-leading pitching staff.
Up next for the Bells is a pair of non-league home games June 17–18 against the NW Star Nighthawks and the Cascade Collegiate League (CCL). Bellingham will face the Nighthawks at 6:35 p.m. June 17, and CCL at 1:05 p.m. June 18, both at Joe Martin Stadium.
Here’s what happened in the Bells’ series with Kelowna.
Bellingham routs Falcons in game 1
Bellingham Bells’ Ty Saunders makes a diving stop of a line drive. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
The Bells made quick work of the Falcons in the series opener, routing Kelowna 9-1 behind a six-run fourth inning on June 13.
Scoreless through three innings, the game opened up in the bottom of the fourth, when Bells third baseman Nate Kirkpatrick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, walking in center fielder Andrew Valdez.
That began a stretch of four straight at-bats, leading to a run for Bellingham, including an RBI single from shortstop Ty Saunders that drove in Kirkpatrick and right fielder Brady Reynolds.
The Bells scored six runs on just two hits in the fourth, entering the fifth leading 6-0.
Bellingham picked up one more in the sixth inning before scoring two and surrendering one to Kelowna in the eighth.
Erdman earned the win on the mound for Bellingham, pitching five innings and allowing two hits, no runs and a walk while striking out a season-high 10 batters.
Saunders stuffed the stat sheet offensively, finishing 2-for-3 batting with two RBIs and two runs scored. Bells designated hitter Wyatt Hall also went 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Bells defense preserves low-scoring game 2 victory
Bellingham Bells’ Ty Saunders dives for a line drive. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Bellingham earned all three of its runs in the bottom of the second inning, relying on its fielding for the final seven to seal a 3-1 win over Kelowna on June 14.
Kelowna outhit Bellingham 8-5 in the game, but the Bells left 11 Falcons runners stranded.
Second baseman Anthony Kodama got things started for the Bells with a double in the second, scoring designated hitter Colton Bower to take a 1-0 lead.
Saunders and right fielder Kyle Parkman each earned RBIs in the second, extending Bellingham’s lead to 3-0 heading into the third.
Kelowna immediately responded with a score of its own in the top of the third, as a two-out single from second baseman Jonas Salk scored center fielder Trevor Wilson.
The Bells salvaged the inning with a putout on the next Falcons at-bat, leaving two Kelowna runners on base at the end of the third.
Both teams combined for seven hits over the final six innings, but the Bells maintained their margin on the scoreboard and sealed the win.
Right-handed pitcher Nathan Van Beek earned the win for Bellingham, pitching four innings and allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out three.
Kelowna halts Bells’ win streak at 7 in game 3
The Falcons flipped the previous game score in their favor — preventing a sweep — as the Bells lost to Kelowna 3-1 on June 15.
Bellingham was unable to put any runs on the board until the final half-inning, entering the ninth trailing 1-0.
Kelowna racked up six hits through the first eight frames and added three more in the ninth, pushing its lead to 2-0 after a solo home run from third baseman Sam Flores.
The Bells scored their lone run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth on a wild pitch that scored Valdez before a flyout on their next at-bat ended the game. Bellingham left five runners on base in the game.
Valdez went 2-for-4 batting, adding a run scored. Left-hander Sheldon Egger and right-hander Will Armbruester each pitched three innings for Bellingham, combining for five hits and two runs allowed while striking out five.
Left-hander Sasha Kamenjasevic earned the win for Kelowna, pitching 4.1 innings and surrendering one hit and one walk while striking out seven. The Falcons distributed their nine hits to seven different batters.
