Box Score

SPRINGFIELD — The Bellingham Bells played in their second consecutive extra-innings game — and third in the last four days — and fell to the Springfield Drifters 9-8 after a walk-off wild pitch. The Bells are 4-4 and face the Drifters in a rubber game tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. before returning home for a six-game home stand beginning at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday, June 9.

Bo Shinkle walked to start the game and stole both second and third base. Jorge Olivera-Gutierrez grounded out, but Shinkle scored to give Bellingham a 1-0 lead.

Bellingham’s starter Brody Olmsted pitched his first two innings scoreless, but allowed two runs in the third inning to surrender the lead. Springfield added on another run by capitalizing on a Bells error in the fourth and led 3-1 after Olmsted’s five-inning start that featured three strikeouts.

Aspen Alexander was hit by a pitch to begin the sixth inning and Matt Churchill doubled. Alexander scored after an error by the Drifters and Jake Lyall launched a three-run home run. Dillon Moss walked and moved to second on a single by Ty Rusko and went to third base on a wild pitch. Moss scored on an RBI single from Taylor Davis.

Evan Reece pitched a scoreless sixth, but allowed a three-run home run in the seventh inning that cut Bellingham’s lead to 7-6. Frank Willius struck out three batters in his debut for the Bells to advance the game to the ninth inning. 

Thrasher Steed was one out from the save when Jaycob Villalpando hit a ground ball to left field that tied the game. In the 10th inning, Bryce Johnson gave the Bells an 8-7 lead as he scored Alexander, who was placed on second base to begin the inning.

Steed struck out one Drifter after Springfield loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th inning. Nick Gimino tied the game for the Drifters and the walk-off run scored on a wild pitch.

Churchill led Bellingham with three hits and had a double with one scored. Davis had two hits and two RBI. The Bells will look to earn a series win in tomorrow’s game at Hamlin Sports Complex.