The Bend Elks won their first game in Bellingham this summer by a final score of 6-2. Bend led wire-to-wire and out-hit the Bells 9-4.

Eric Chavarria (6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) earned the loss, his first of the year. He only allowed one run through five innings. Bend did most of their damage with two outs in the 6th. Chase Matheny scored one on an RBI single, and the next batter, Julian Kodama, blasted a 2-run HR to right field. Hunter Alberini (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K) came in on relief in the 7th, where Bend added another on a sac fly. Ryan Sanders (2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) allowed a 2-out RBI double in the top of the 9th, which extended the Elks lead to 6-2.

All of Bellingham’s scoring came on one play in the 6th off the bat of Grayson Sterling. Ty Saunders, Yugo Hamakawa and Daniel Gernon each reached in a row to load the bases, and Sterling scored two on an RBI single. He was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Only three other Bells had hits, with Saunders, Hamakawa and newly-minted Bell Luis Aviles each reaching on a single. Neither team committed an error, and the Bells left six runners on base.

Bellingham will be back in action tomorrow night to square off against the Elks in game two. You can get your tickets for the Wednesday night showdown at www.bellstickets.com