The Bellingham Bells fell to 2-3 on the season after a 7-1 loss against the Kamloops NorthPaws. It was game two of the three-game series as the NorthPaws secured the series win.

It was tough to come by runs for the Bells despite good hitting. The Bells scored just one run on seven hits.

The Bells were led by Nate Kirkpatrick who continued a good start to his 2024 campaign. Going 3 for 4 at the plate was Kirkpatrick’s second three-hit game of the season. Two of his three hits were doubles .

The only scoring for the Bells came in the top of the second inning when Jason Shedlock drove home Kirkpatrick who had reached with a double. Kirkpatrick leads the Bells in doubles with four on the year. 

Caleb Cassie in the start allowed four earned runs in the bottom of the third where he allowed all four hits of his start. The other three innings from Cassie were perfect and he finished with six strikeouts and no walks but hit one batter.

The Bells bullpen of Josh Flaugher and Marques Brown would not allow an earned run but three scored in the eighth for the NorthPaws due to errors by Kirkpatrick and Bret Housel.

Offensively, the Bells best chance came in the top of the seventh inning but a baserunning mistake cost the team for the second game in a row.

The Bells loaded the bases in the seventh with walks from Jeremiah Robbins, Jorge Olivera and a hit by pitch to Anthony Kodama. With zero outs, Mejia hit a pop fly to right field. Initially all the runners tagged up but stopped, realizing that the ball was not hit deep enough to advance.

Olivera was caught between first and second base and the pickle began. Robbins, who was at third, decided to try and go home during the pickle but Olivera was tagged and a throw from NorthPaws first baseman Anthony Manuel gunned Robbins at the plate. It was a triple play and the Bells came away scoreless in the seventh.

7-1 would be the final after Chase Taylor and Casper Rammeloo came out of the bullpen to finish the job that winning pitcher, Kolby Lukinchuk, started for Kamloops.

Kamloops secured the series win but the Bells look to avoid the sweep tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. at Norbrock Stadium in Kamloops, British Columbia. The Bells probable starter is, Ryan Beitel, who struck out seven batters in four innings on Opening Day.

You can see the Bells back at home June 7 at Joe Martin Field when the Bells play the Ridgefield Raptors in a three-game weekend series. Tickets are available at bellstickets.com.

Tonight’s game recap is sponsored by Everstrong Physical Therapy and Performance.