After a rain out yesterday the Bellingham Bells and Nanaimo NightOwls played a double-header earlier today at 12:00 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Rather than playing two nine inning games in one day the teams will play two seven inning games to make up for the rainout.
Game 1
#2 Coleman Yoshida had a splendid first game at the plate, he went 2-for-3 with two RBI’s. Yoshida has a batting average of .352 and continues to prove why he should be at the top of the lineup. Another star player on the offensive side for the Bells is #1 Andrew Valdez, who went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI’s. In the third inning, Valdez has a double that scores two of his teammates, Parkman and Yoshida. This ties up the score with two each. In the fifth inning, Nanaimo score two runs, but that didn’t stop the Bells. They continue to score in the sixth inning when Colton Bower and Ty Sanders both get walked, putting one Bell into scoring position. #2 back up to the plate and has a single, scoring both Saunders and Bower, putting the Bells back in the game all tied up. Valdez bats third in the line up and has a single to score Yoshida from second base. Making the score 5-4.
The pitching staff mixed in lots of pitchers throughout the first game. #13 Kadden Drew started on the mound for the Bells having three strikeouts, and only allowing two hits, and one earned run. In next for Bellingham were four more pitchers, #29 Caleb Cassie, #19 Nate Rasmussen, #15 Shelden Egger, and #35 Will Armbruester who each threw one inning. The four of them only allowed four hits.
Game 2
In game two of the afternoon the Bellingham Bells swept the Nanimo NightOwls, winning their last game 1-0 in a shutout.
Arguably the best pitching we have seen all season from the Bells pitching staff. #39 Daniel Paret had his first appearance for the season and started off strong. Paret had 12 strikeouts out of the 14 batters he faced. Only allowing one hit and walked just one batter. No runs scored on Paret’s watch. When Paret was finished on the mound, #10 Owen Murdock came in to close the night, and had five strikeouts in the 12 batters he faced, walking one and only one hit as well. As a team the NightOwls were only able to get two hits.
The Bells had struggled to produce hits during the second game, but had enough hits to win them the game 1-0. Valdez had an RBI on a FC, from the pitcher to the first baseman. Which was the only score of the 7 inning game for both teams.
The Bellingham Bells finished the series strong and took the series from the NightOwls. The Bells will be back in Bellingham Tuesday, June 13th for their series against the Kelowna Falcons, at 6:35 p.m.