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In a game that began at 6:38 p.m. and ended at 11:15 p.m., the Bellingham Bells lost 13-12 to the Springfield Drifters. Despite a loss, the Bells clinched a spot in the 2024 West Coast League Playoffs with Victoria losing their first game against Corvallis. The job is not finished as the Bells are still in contention for the number two seed and potentially hosting the opening round series for game two and three. 

Lathan Haywood got the start last night and would only go 2.1 innings after allowing four runs in his first inning and one in his second. The Bells did score two runs in the top of the second inning on a two-RBI single from Roman Martin. Haywood left the game down 5-2 after giving up six hits and one walk with two strikeouts.

Jacob Gillig came in for a long relief appearance and finished the bottom of the third inning. In the top of the fourth inning the Bells scored five runs and pulled ahead 7-5. The middle of the order, Martin, Nate Kirkpatrick and Jacob Mejia all had an RBI as well as a run scoring on a wild pitch and Bryce Johnson bringing in the fifth run of the inning on a walk.

In the top of the seventh inning the Bells extended their lead to 9-5 with Mejia hitting a two-run home run, his sixth home run of the year which is the third most in the West Coast League. Springfield scored three runs after the seventh inning stretch when Eli Knowlton inherited three runners from Gillig with no outs. It was now 9-8 and Gillig finished his 3.2 innings with three runs allowed on four hits and two walks with one strikeout.

The Drifters tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning against Marques Brown. The closer Ryan Heppner would come in to finish the eighth inning with the game at 9-9. In the top of the ninth the Bells gave themselves an 11-9 lead with RBIs by Jorge Olivera and Logan Degroot. Heppner returned to the mound to try and finish the game but allowed the tying runs to score and it was on to extra innings.

Kieran Markusen threw for the first two extra innings where both teams could not score. In the 12th inning Degroot was walked and then brought home on an RBI double from Colton Bower. Johnson had the sacrifice that moved Bower to third and Trent Mallonee hit a ground ball to second base that should have scored Bower from third but in a blown call, Bower was called out despite the late tag from Springfield’s catcher Nathan Stevens.

In the bottom of the 12th inning Markusen was taken out after giving up a single. With one out in the 12th and a runner on first Roman Martin would take over as the pitcher. Yes, Roman Martin was now pitching in the 12th inning in a one run game. Martin gave up a single followed by three walks for Springfield to walk it off in the 12th inning and win 13-12.

The Bells will now play at 6:35 p.m. today to try and even the series at Hamlin Sports Complex. We are guaranteed a playoff home game either on Aug. 10 or 11 and potentially Aug. 12 if we host the opening round. The Bells need to win out with Wenatchee losing out to earn the second half win. If Wenatchee wins later today it will fully eliminate Victoria from second half contention and Edmonton and Bellingham will be the teams fighting for the two seed. This is because the WCL’s rule is that if the team that won the first half of the season also wins the second half outright, the team with the best overall record, not named Wenatchee, is the two seed. Edmonton and Bellingham are tied for the best overall record, Bellingham holds the tiebreaker over Edmonton so we just need to win the same amount of games as Edmonton to host the opening round.

This game recap is presented by Everstrong Physical Therapy and Performance.