PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles took another chomp out of first-year West Coast League franchise Nanaimo, earning a 4-3 walk-off win over the NightOwls at Civic Field to ensure a series victory.
Pinch hitter Mason Persons singled home Weston Penninger with the game-winning run in the ninth inning after Penninger was plunked by a pitch to open the inning. Penninger then stole second base and advanced to third on Will Mulflur’s ground out to first base.
The Lefties scored first when Port Angeles High School product Ethan Flodstrom, who now plays baseball at Tacoma Community College, singled, stole second and came home on Riley Parker’s RBI single in the bottom of the first.
Nanaimo scored its three runs off starting pitcher John Pfeffer in the fourth inning, two coming by error and the other on a sacrifice fly for a 3-1 advantage. Pfeffer was pulled after the fifth inning.
Penninger added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth and Mulflur followed with an RBI single to score Kemet Brown to knot the score at 3-all.
Port Angeles’ bullpen was instrumental in keeping the NightOwls in check down the stretch.
Washington State’s Ryan Orr was solid in two innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out three. Orr is yet to allow a run in six innings of relief work spread over three games this summer for the Lefties.
Liam Paddack (3-0) picked up his third win of the summer, tossing 1⅔ innings of clean relief, allowing one hit and striking out four of the six batters he faced to lower his ERA to 2.38. Paddack hasn’t walked a batter in his last two outings, picking up the win in relief each time.
The Lefties (11-14 West Coast League) wrapped their home set with the NightOwls late Wednesday and are off to visit defending WCL champion and perennial South Division leader Corvallis (12-4) for a three-game set starting Friday.
Port Angeles 4, Nanaimo 3
NNO 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 — 3 7 1
PA 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 — 4 9 4
WP: Paddack. LP: Joyce.
Pitching
Nanaimo — Goodall 5.1 IP, 7H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K; Molenda 1.2 IP, H; Joyce 1.1 IP, H, ER.
Port Angeles — Pfeffer 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5K; Orr 2 IP, H, 3K; Dibrell 0.1 IP, BB, K; Paddack 1.2 IP, H, 4K.
Hitting
Nanaimo — Jackson 2-3, R, 2 RBI; Ostrander 1-3, R, RBI; Frei 2-5.
Port Angeles — Persons 1-1, RBI; Parker 1-4, RBI; Mulflur 1-4, RBI; Flodstrom 1-4, SB, R; Penninger 0-1, BB, RBI; Paganelli 2-4, R.
