Pirates salvage win at Bells

PIRATES 6

Bells 5

BELLINGHAM —  Despite dropping the first two games of a three-game set at Bellingham against the host Bells, the Moses Lake Pirates fought back to take a 6-5 11-inning decision on Sunday.

The Pirates (6-12 overall, 5-10 in West Coast League play) rallied from an early deficit for the second straight day but this time found a way to get the win.

Bellingham led 3-0 after their half of the first inning as they touched up Pirates starter Tyler Druffel (Big Bend CC).

However Druffel fought his way back and kept the team close as he pitched six innings, giving up five runs.

Moses Lake cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the third inning when Austin Shackelford (University of Utah), Duncan Blades (Salt Lake CC), and Nick Frederick (Pomona College), recorded one-out walks to load the bases.

Then a Bellingham (11-9) balk by pitcher Jimmy Reed brought home Shackelford during Michael Bush’s (Lewis and Clark College) at bat which ended with a ground out and Blades crossing the plate for the second run.

The Pirates tied the game in the top of the sixth inning when Nate Roberts (Seattle University) led off the frame with a single and advanced to third on a ground out and a Bells’ fielding error. He then came home on a Bryndon Ecklund (Seattle University) sacrifice fly to make it 3-3.

Bellingham took the lead back up to 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth but the Pirates wouldn’t roll over.

Moses Lake rallied in their last at bats with Ecklund hitting an infield single to start the inning and Shackelford followed with a one-out single.

Blades then almost grounded into a game-ending double play but Ecklund was safe at third and only Shackelford could be put out, putting runners at the corners with two outs.

Blades then stole second and Frederick singled in both baserunners to tie the score and send the game into extra innings.

In the 11th inning, Moses Lake scored their winning run when Ecklund singled and was moved to second base on a Tylor Pavel (Wenatchee Valley College) sacrifice. Shackelford then singled in Ecklund and the Pirates had their first lead.

Moses Lake Kris Carlson (Wenatchee Valley College) who pitched the last three innings, buckled down in the last half of the 11th and kept the Bells from scoring again to earn the win.

Saturday night the Pirates had their best first chance to win in Bellingham, rallying from an early deficit to make things interesting before dropping an 8-7 decision.

The Bells scored eight times in the first four innings before the Pirates fought back.

Moses Lake registered 12 hits, led by Shackelford’s 2-for-5 performance, Frederick went 2-for-4, as did Bush. Ecklund went 2-for-2.

In the top of the first the Pirates scored when Shackelford singled, stole second, advanced on a ground out, and scored when Frederick hit into a fielder’s choice.

With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the second Moses Lake scored again when Bush doubled and two outs later on a Bryan Karwacki (Big Bend CC) single to reclaim the lead.

A four-run bottom of the fourth gave Bellingham an 8-2 lead but the Pirates wouldn’t go away.

In their half of the fifth, Moses Lake got a leadoff single by Ecklund and Karwacki got on after a Bellingham error.

One batter later, Ecklund scored on a passed ball and eventually Karwacki came home on a Shackelford ground out to make the score 8-4.

The rally finished in the Pirates seventh as they scored three more times to pull within one.

Ecklund tripled with one out and was knocked in by a Justin Byrd (Cal-Berkeley) single to make the score 8-5.

One out later Shackelford single, and both he and Byrd came home on a Nate Roberts (Seattle University) double.

Bellingham’s Ben Ruff then was brought on and found a way to shut down the surging Pirates offense to secure the Bells’ win.

Nathan Johnson (Whitworth University) came in to relieve Tony Smith (Eastern New Mexico University) who gave up eight runs and 11 hits in four innings to take the loss. Johnson pitched the last four innings and allowed only two hits while striking out five.

The series started poorly for the Pirates as they dropped a 3-0 decision on Friday.

Shackelford kicked off his recent hot hitting spell to go 3-for-4 but Moses Lake only knocked out six hits total in the loss.

Jordan Whitman (George Fox University) threw 5.2 innings and gave up one run and eight hits to take the loss.

The Pirates return home tomorrow to begin a three-game series against the Kitsap Bluejackets (9-4).

First pitch is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.