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The Bellingham Bells lost 11-3 to the Victoria HarbourCats on Saturday, Aug. 3, at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham, Wash. Sax Matson tossed four scoreless innings in his first start as a Bellingham Bell but the bullpen would surrender the 1-0 lead that Matson exited with.

Tonight the Bells honored Ryan Beitel prior to first pitch, recognizing his four years as a Bellingham Bell. Trent Mallonee was named the Jason Hager Most Inspirational Player Award. Jacob Mejia was named the 2024 Bell of the Year.

Matson, after making his first 13 appearances out of the bullpen, delivered a tremendous start to this game after he pitched four innings with only one hit allowed and tallied five strikeouts. Matson would be given a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning after Nate Kirkpatrick doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A balk by the HarbourCats starting pitcher, Payton Hawkinson, sent Kirkpatrick home as the first run of the game for the Bells.

After both teams got out to a slow start offensively, Jack Svinth took the ball for the Bells in the top of the fifth. He would pitch a 1-2-3 frame and keep the game at a 1-0 scoreline with the Bells leading. Svinth entered the sixth where he hit the first batter he faced. Gunner Antillon then would successfully reach on a bunt single followed by a bunt from Cam Schnieder that Jack Svinth tossed past the first baseman for an error that led to two runs scoring for Victoria. Victoria proceeded to bunt again and reach successfully again to put runners on first and third. Kamana Nahaku would attempt to steal second and was thrown out but that allowed Schnieder to take home plate from third base on a nifty double steal. It was 3-1 exiting the sixth with the Bells losing.

Svinth in the seventh gave up a walk, another hit-by-pitch and an RBI single before he was pulled for Matt Molina who inherited two runners on base. Molina threw a wild pitch that allowed a run to score and would give up another run on a groundout. All three runs were against Svinth in the seventh and the Bells trailed 6-1 heading into the eighth. Svinth finished two innings and received the loss for his six runs allowed, five earned, off of three hits, a walk and an error on himself.

In the top of the eighth inning the floodgates did not close as Victoria scored two more runs with the help of two defensive errors on the same play for the HarbourCats to score a little league run. An RBI single by NyZaiah Thompson drove in the eighth run of the game for the HarbourCats.

The Bells showed life in the bottom of eighth as the crowd came to the team’s support despite the large deficit. Logan Degroot led off the inning with a single followed by two walks drawn by Jason Shedlock and Colton Bower. With the bases loaded, Gavin Long had a sacrifice fly to score Degroot. Roman Martin then extended his on-base streak to 20 games with an RBI double. The Cats had to bring in Brett Harvey to retire Kirkpatrick and finish the eighth inning up 8-3.

The momentum was halted as debuting pitcher, Kieran Markusen, gave up a solo home run to Michael Crossland to lead off the top off the ninth inning for Victoria. Markusen allowed a double and a hit-by-pitch before being taken out of the game for Eli Knowlton. Knowlton let the two inherited runners score by allowing two hits and a walk. It was 11-3 and the Bells fell to the HarbourCats in game two of three in the final home series at Joe Martin Field.

Tomorrow night the Bells and HarbourCats play to decided the series winner of the final regular season series in Bellingham. The Bells, now 30-20 overall and 13-10 in the second half, are tied with Nanaimo for the second best record in the North Division second half race for the number two seed in the West Coast League Playoffs. Victoria now holds sole possession of that two seed with their 14-9 second half record.

Get your tickets for the final regular season home game at Joe Martin Field at bellstickets.com, first pitch is at 1:35 p.m.

Tonight’s game recap is presented by Everstrong Physical Therapy and Performance.