By Joe Traub

Port Angeles Lefties

LONGVIEW — Holding a six-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, it appeared academic that the Port Angeles Lefties would take the opener of a three-game series against the Cowlitz Black Bears.

But ten batters, four hits and seven runs later, Cowlitz completed a stunning comeback and defeated Port Angeles 8–7 Friday evening at Story Field.

Jordan Banholzer took the hill for the Lefties in the eighth inning and struggled to find the strike zone. He allowed two hits and walked three batters, leaving with a 7–3 lead. Zach Tresemer relieved and gave up an RBI single followed by a fielder’s choice grounder and an RBI groundout. Luke Price stood in and delivered the biggest hit of all, a bloop double just past the reach of third baseman Evan Hurn to give Cowlitz the lead.

Port Angeles went down in order on two flyouts and a grounder in the ninth to end the contest.

The Lefties (10-14) broke a 1–1 tie in the fourth inning by erupting for five runs. Charlie Nasuti doubled in two runs and immediately scored on a run-scoring double by Damiano Palmegiani. After a pitching change, two outs and a walk, Matt Christian roped another double into the left-field corner to plate Palmegiani and Gavin Rork for a 6–1 lead.

Port Angeles added another tally in the fifth on Trevor Rosenberg’s RBI single. Nasuti, Palmegiani and Rosenberg (7-8-9 in the lineup) combined to go 6 for 12 with 4 RBI.

The Lefties finish up against Cowlitz at 5:05 tonight, then return to Port Angeles for a series against Corvallis beginning at 6:35 p.m. Monday.

Cowlitz 8, Port Angeles 7

Lefties 1 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 — 7 9 0

Bears 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 7 X— 8 8 0

WP: Richter LP: Tresemer SV: Takalo

Pitching

Port Angeles — Tan 6 IP, 3H, ER, 3BB, K; Scalzo IP, H, 2K; Banholzer 0.1 IP, 2H, 5ER, 3BB, K; Tresemer 0.2 IP,

Cowlitz — Biesterfield 3 IP, 4H, 5ER, 4BB, 2K; Stevens IP H, ER, BB, K; Pittman 3 IP 3H, ER, BB, 4K; Richter IP, H, BB; Takalo IP.

Hitting

Port Angeles — Nasuti 3-5, 2B, 2R, 2 RBI; Christian 1-2, 2BB, 2B, 2RBI; Palmegiani 2-4, 2B, RBI; DiPonzio 1-1, 2B; Rosenberg 1-3, BB, R, RBI

Cowlitz — Price 2-4, 2B, R, 2RBI; Sosa 2-5, HR, 2R, 2RBI; Bell 2-5, R, RBI