First sweep of the season comes at Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES — The Bellingham Bells got their brooms out of the closet for the first time this season with a sweep of the Port Angeles Lefties capped by a 17-2 win Thursday, June 18 at Civic Field. The Bells are 12-6 and head home for a three-game series against the Kamloops NorthPaws beginning tomorrow at 6:35 p.m.

Jake Lyall got the hit party started with a two-run blast in the first inning. Noah Cassie matched his home run with a round tripper of his own to cap a 3-0 first inning. Jaden Jackson singled in a run in the second and Lyall made it 5-0 on an RBI groundout.

Lyall launched a three-run home run in the fourth inning and Cassie doubled in a run. Aspen Alexander drew a bases loaded walk and Tristan Schaefer plated a run with an RBI single. The Bells led 11-0 after the fourth.

Bellingham’s starter JJ Martinson allowed just one hit in four innings and had five strikeouts. Tyler Peshke hit a two-run bomb in the top of the fifth to make it 13-0.

Silas Stenerson was the first man out of the pen and was credited with the win after two scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth. Everett Swaim surrendered the game’s first two runs in the seventh, but had a scoreless eighth.

Jackson had an RBI double in the top of the eighth, which made it a 14-2 ball game. Alexander had another RBI with a single in the ninth, KG Hattori singled to plate a run and Evan Yates drew a walk to give the Bells their 17-2 final score.

Braden Blackwell finished off the victory with a scoreless ninth. The pitching staff allowed just four hits and struck out six Port Angeles batters.

Lyall led the offense with his two home runs and went 3-for-5 at the plate with six RBI before being lifted for Yates in the eighth. Peshke also had three hits and drove in two runs on a home run and a double. Alexander drove in two runs and was 3-for-4 with a double and two singles. Cassie, Hattori and Jackson were the other bells with two hits each. As a team Bellingham had 18 hits and 12 walks in an offensive explosion to earn the sweep.

The Bells now begin a six-game homestand with a weekend series facing the Kamloops NorthPaws that begins Friday, June 19 at 6:35 p.m. Bellingham will host Port Angeles Tuesday through Thursday at Joe Martin Field.

Get your tickets for all Bellingham Bells games this season at bellsticket.com.