PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Lefties got into a wild, 11-inning epic with the Bend Elks on Friday night, but ultimately gave up a two-run double in the 11th and couldn’t bring in the tying run in the bottom of the inning in a 10-8 loss.
The Lefties outhit the Elks 17 to eight, but the Elks got two home runs, including a grand slam in the fifth inning, and the two-run double by Jake Hoskins in the 11th.
It was a seesaw game, with the Lefties getting up 3-0 after the first inning and 7-2 after three. Bend scored four in the fifth and two more in the seventh to take an 8-7 lead.
The Lefties were able to tie the game up at 8-8 in the bottom of the eighth when Isiah Walz (Concordia College) got on base with a single, moved to second on a failed pickoff and then came in to score on a clutch single by Roberto Nunez (Embry-Riddle).
The Lefties nearly won the game in a dramatic walkoff in the bottom of the 10th when Walz, who had gotten on base on a walk and moved to second on a single by Trent Jackson (Hawaii Pacific), was thrown out at the plate on another clutch single by Nunez.
After the Elks took the lead in the top of the 11th, the Lefties got a golden opportunity in the bottom of the inning to come back. Chase Taylor (Hawaii Pacific) and Kyle Becker (Nevada) got back-to-back singles to open the inning, putting the tying run on first with no outs. But, Bend closer Jackson Bolander was able to strike out the side to end the threat and the game.
Port Angeles’ Cade Stuart (Edmonds CC), took the loss. Six Lefties pitchers struck out 13, with Jake Cummings (In his first Lefties’ appearance) and Brock Mayer (Chaffey College) combining for nine strikeouts in five innings.
Nunez finished the game 3-for-5 with a run, RBI and a stolen base, raising his season average to .359. Walz was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a walk, while Jackson was 2-for-6 with a run scored.
Taylor finished 2-for5 with a run scored, an RBI and a walk. Chanz Doughty (Edmonds Community College) was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Julio Vasquez (Howard College), playing in his first game for the Lefties, had a double, two RBIs and a walk.
Port Angeles (10-24, 2-5 second half) played Bend (16-18, 4-3) Saturday night and finishes the series at 1:35 p.m. Sunday at Civic Field.
Bend 10, Port Angeles 8, 11 innings
Bend 0 2 0 0 4 0 2 0 0 0 2 — 10 8 2
PA 3 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 8 17 3
WP: Krupp LP: Stuart SV: Bolander.
Hitting
Bend — Ortiz 2-4, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI; Christianson 1-6, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; Hoskins 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI.
PA — Nunez 3-5, R, RBI, SB; Walz 2-5, 2 R, BB; Jackson 2-6, R; Taylor 2-5, R, RBI, BB; Doughty 2-5, R, RBI; Helm 1-3, R, RBI; Vasquez 1-5, 2B, 2 RBI, BB.
Pitching
Bend — Wailolama 3 IP, 3 ER, 2 K; Munger 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K; Krupp 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K; Bolander IP, 2 H, 3 K.
PA — Cummings 3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K; Acker 2 IP, 2 H, BB; Mayer 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K; Peninger IP, K; Lewis 2 IP, 2 K; Stuart IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K.
