The Bellingham Bells defeated the Kelowna Falcons 6-2  on Saturday night in Joe Martin Field to win their 11th interleague series of the season. The Bells put together a five-run seventh after entering the inning down 2-1 for the turning point in the victory, highlighted by a 2-run triple by Touissaint Bythewood. Bythewood finished the evening 2-4 with 3 RBI and a run to lead the team.

The Bells jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first thanks to an RBI single by Bythewood that scored Blake Conrad from second. That same inning, Stanford freshman Malcolm Moore got his first hit as a Bell with a single that advanced Conrad to scoring position.

Kelowna tied the game in the fourth when Konnor Palmeira got hit by a pitch, then crossed home plate on a double down the right field line by Jeter Ybarra. Bells starter Matthew Delvecchio, brother of Cody, was removed after the fourth after allowing one run on three hits in his season debut from the mound. 

The Falcons loaded the bases in the fifth, but a clutch double play by Ty Saunders saved the Bells at least a run to preserve the tie. The Falcons roared back in the sixth when Shea Thomas hit a single up the middle, then scored on a Kam Edwards RBI double to take a 2-1 lead.

The next inning, in the seventh, Evan Overmars and Robbie Vandegrift each drew walks, then Jaiden Matthews single loaded the bases with no outs. Blake Conrad sent a single to center to score Overmars from third to tie the game, then Moore hit a sac fly to score Vandegrift and give the Bells the lead. 

Bythewood continued the hot streak with a 2-run triple, then scored himself on an RBI single by Ty Saunders to cushion the Bells with a 6-2 lead entering the eighth. Conrad extended his hit streak to 10 with his single, having notched a hit in every game he’s played with the Bells so far this season.

“It was a big inning from everyone, bit hits all the way around,” Conrad said of the key seventh inning after the game. “I’m seeing the ball well, trying to stay composed at the plate, not get too big, just trying to put the ball in play.”

Austin Sheldon (1-0) earned his first win of the season, tossing three innings of relief with one run allowed on two hits. Dylan Berry (0-2) took the loss for the Falcons after solely appearing in that significant seventh inning.

The Bells improve to 27-13 with the win, 8-6 in the second half of the season. The Falcons drop to 18-21, 6-8 in the second half. Bellingham will look to complete the series sweep Sunday afternoon with Ryan Beitel on the mound searching for his WCL-leading fifth win.