The Bellingham Bells defeated the Nanaimo NightOwls 3-0 Friday night in Joe Martin Field behind home runs from Jace Phelan and Easton Amundsen. The Bells rebounded from getting swept by the Ridgefield Raptors last series to get their league-leading fifth shutout of the season, thanks to six scoreless innings from starter Shane Spencer.
After four innings of scoreless ball between the two teams to begin the game, Jace Phelan broke the ice with a 349 ft homer to right field, scoring Ty Saunders to give the Bells a 2-0 lead. Phelan’s 2-run shot was his first home run of the season.
In the sixth, recent addition in right field Easton Amundsen sent a solo shot that landed just barely fair past the right field foul line pole to extend the Bells’ lead to three. Amundsen has gone an impressive 5-12 in his first three games with the team, coming from Lower Columbia College.
Shane Spencer (1-1) delivered six innings of two-hit ball along with 6 K’s in keeping the NightOwls scoreless to earn the win. Nate Clow took over in the seventh, and added on two more scoreless innings before Christopher Campos hit the mound in the ninth. Campos, in his final game with the Bells, notched three quick outs to end the game.
Campos’s favorite memory with the team was his walk-off single against the Lefties in front of a sold-out crowd at Joe Martin Field to cement his status as a fan-favorite among fans. He’ll be known for his stellar fielding in the infield along with the heat he brought to the mound as closer in the ninth inning of games.
“I made some friendships that’ll last a lifetime and it means the world to me to be able to come out here in Bellingham, make the friendships I did, learn the cool things I did with the coaches,” Campos said after the game.
The Bells improve to 21-11 with the win, while the NightOwls fall to 12-21. The two will play Saturday night in the second of their three game series in Bellingham.