Wenatchee slugs Pirates' pitching

AppleSox rip 16 hits, knock Moses Lake pitcher Cam Gill out in first inning

WENATCHEE — After Wednesday's game between the Moses Lake Pirates and Wenatchee AppleSox went nearly 14 innings before anyone could score, there was sure to be more offense in Thursday's series finale.

The Pirates and Sox exploded for a combined nine runs and 13 hits in the first inning alone Thursday, but Wenatchee was the team that sustained its attack the longest and wound up 10-7 victors at Paul Thomas Field, ruining Moses Lake's plans for a three-game sweep of its West Coast Collegiate Baseball League rival.

Moses Lake (16-8) looked poised for the sweep in its first at-bat, rocking Sox starter Josh Keller for four runs on seven hits. The Pirates batted around, getting run-scoring singles from Zach Hedges, Michael Ratigan and newcomer Matthew Yerby in the process.

The lead was, to say the least, short-lived. Unlike Keller, Moses Lake starter Cam Gill didn't escape the first as Wenatchee scored five times on six hits and a walk. Dillon Baird's two-run home run, Vinnie Catricala's steal of home and Brian Rittereiser's RBI single ended Gill's night after just two-thirds of an inning.

After a 43-minute first inning, the teams settled down, with Keller recovering to pitch five innings and earn his second win of the season. Marcus Tackett pitched well in long relief for the Pirates, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.

Moses Lake tied the score at 5-5 in the second after Mike Capbarat singled and scored on Hedges' double to the gap in right-center field.

But Pat Bailey's RBI single gave Wenatchee the lead for good in the fifth. The Sox added two more in the sixth off Tackett and two more in the eighth against Vinny Losorelli.

After Capbarat was picked off first in the top of the seventh, Moses Lake coach Gabe Boruff was ejected for arguing the call.

Moses Lake managed to put one final surge together in the ninth, drawing within 10-7 on Ratigan's two-run double. The Pirates brought the tying run to the plate in the form of pinch hitter Steven Swinford, but Wenatchee pitcher Michael Eisenhauer struck him out to end the game.

Moses Lake did take two of three games in the series, and increased its WCCBL East Division lead to five games over Wenatchee (11-13).

The Pirates collected 17 hits on Thursday. Hedges finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs and scored twice, raising his team-leading batting average to .352. Ratigan was 2 for 5 with three RBIs and Zach Kim went 2 for 5. However, Moses Lake left 11 runners on base.

Wenatchee's Aaron Russell went 3 for 5 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Baird was 3 for 4 and scored three times, while Catricala and Ryan Davis each went 2 for 4. The Sox finished with 16 hits.

The Pirates return home to Larson Field tonight to begin an important three-game set with the Bend Elks. Bend swept the Pirates in Oregon last weekend, and the Elks' win over Spokane Thursday night moved them into a three-way tie for first in the West Division.

All-Star Dale Reneau (3-0, 1.19 ERA) will start for Moses Lake, opposed by Bend's Brian Budrow (2-0, 1.08). Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Tyler Rogers is scheduled to start game two Saturday, with Ratigan throwing Sunday.