By Joe Traub
Port Angeles Lefties
PORT ANGELES —A night after scoring 14 runs, the Port Angeles Lefties were again up to the task, putting up three crooked numbers in the first half of the contest and hung on late for a 14–10, series-sweeping victory over the Redmond Dudes on Friday night at Civic Field.
Zander Marco led the way in his final Lefties game of 2019, blasting two home runs for the second consecutive contest. Marco hit two-run shots in the second and fifth innings to highlight rallies in which Port Angeles put up three and six runs, respectively.
The Lefties also benefitted from the bat of Baxter Halligan, who went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and six runs batted in. Halligan singled home two runs in the first inning before a bases-clearing double in the fifth gave the hosts a 12–2 lead.
Redmond attempted a historic comeback, plating eight runs in the final four innings. J.J. Valencia was the hitting hero for the Dudes, as he blasted a two-run homer in the sixth before a pair of RBI singles in the seventh and ninth innings.
Usual Lefties first baseman C.J. Schauwecker took the mound in the ninth inning for the first time this season, giving up three runs on three hits before inducing a flyout and strikeout to end the game.
Port Angeles is now playing a crucial series in Bellingham through Monday.
In the case North Division first-half champion Victoria also wins the second half, the second playoff bid in the North would be awarded to the team with the second best overall record in the division.
The Lefties are currently three games behind the Bells for that distinction with 16 games remaining in the West Coast League season.
Port Angeles 14, Redmond 4
It was an inauspicious beginning for Jordan Banholzer and the Lefties on Thursday, as the starting pitcher surrendered four Redmond runs in the first frame while recording just one out. However, the team began to chip away as Gavin Rork doubled in a run in the third inning before Nick DiPonzio belted a solo homer in the fifth.
From there on, it was all about four-spots for Port Angeles. The Lefties took the lead in the sixth inning scoring four runs, led by Diego Altamarino’s RBI double and then a two-run throwing error on a ground ball hit by Baxter Halligan.
The first five batters reached base safely in the seventh against Dudes pitching coach Nate Robinson. Zander Marco led off with a solo homer before Trevor Rosenberg singled in a run, Evan Hurn swiped home on a double steal and then Rosenberg came across to score on Altamarino’s single.
For good measure, the Lefties plated four more in the eighth. Marco hit his second homer in as many innings — a two-run blast. Rork later singled in a run before the final tally crossed on a throwing error.
