The Ridgefield Raptors beat the Bellingham Bells in a 12-3 blowout Wednesday night in Ridgefield to give them their second straight win in the series. The Raptors collected 15 hits and seven walks in the victory, as they’ve scored 25 runs over these past two games.
The game was relatively quiet for the first few innings, as Ridgefield scored in the first on an RBI single by DH Trent Prokes. The Bells answered in the third with second baseman Robbie Vandegrift stealing home to even the score. In the fifth, Cody Russell hit a single to center, scoring Jaidon Matthews to give the Bells a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Raptors made a rapid recovery, with Jacob Sharp and Isaac Lovings launching home runs in part of a five-run inning to regain the lead. Sharp, who hit his seventh homer of the season, would finish 2-4 from the plate with two walks and four runs. Jack Van Remortel scored on a single by Easton Amundsen in the sixth to bring the Bells within three, but the Raptors crushed their comeback with three more runs coming in the bottom of the sixth.
The Raptors would go on to score three more runs throughout the remainder of the game, with three relievers holding the Bells scoreless from the seventh inning on. Their starter, Cooper Rons (3-0), picked up his third win of the season in 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts and two earned runs allowed.
Austyn Coleman (3-3) took the loss for the Bells, allowing six runs in 4.2 innings pitched. The Bells drop to 21-10 with the loss, still with a 5.5 game lead over the second place NorthPaws. The Raptors improve to 19-12, as they battle to improve their seeding in a heavily stacked South Division.
Both teams will rematch for the third, and final, game of the series Thursday night in Ridgefield.