Box Score

KAMLOOPS — The Bellingham Bells dropped their first game of three against the Kamloops NorthPaws after a 6-5 loss on Friday, July 17. The Bells lost their designated hitter early in the contest due to an injury, which forced four pitchers to get an at-bat in the loss.

The tough night started with an early 1-0 lead for Kamloops after the first inning against Bellingham’s starter Caleb Sebek. The Bells tied the game in the top of the second on an RBI single by Bo Shinkle, but the NorthPaws scored three runs in the third inning to lead 4-1 following Sebek’s three-inning start.

Catcher Jake Lyall was hit by a foul tip and had to leave the game in the second inning. With no other catchers available, Noah Cassie, who was the designated hitter, had to go behind the plate, which forfeited Bellingham’s DH spot. A pitcher had to bat in the fifth spot of the order for the rest of the game and they combined to go 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.

An error helped Kamloops score a run off Rohan Kasanagottu in the fourth inning. Bellingham had four defensive errors and let up two unearned runs. Kasanagottu pitched the next two innings without allowing a run and Bellingham began to climb back in the sixth inning.

Shinkle swatted two more runs in to score and the Bells trailed 5-3 heading to the seventh. JJ Martinson pitched a scoreless seventh inning and Bellingham tied the game in the top of the eighth. KG Hattori hit an RBI groundout and Nate Johnson singled a run home.

The NorthPaws tagged Thrasher Steed for a run in the bottom of the eighth to hold a 6-5 lead entering the final frame. The Bells went down 1-2-3 on three consecutive strikeouts to lose the game.

Shinkle led the Bells with a third of the nine team hits going 3-for-3 with one walk, three RBI and one run scored. The Bells struck out 14 times at the plate. Steed was given his third loss of the summer as Bellingham fell to 22-15. Tomorrow’s game at Kamloops begins at 6:35 p.m.