Raptors’ late rally not enough in 10-9 loss

RIDGEFIELD — Down but never out, the Ridgefield Raptors nearly completed their rally Tuesday.

The Raptors trailed Tuesday in their opening-game series against the Bellingham Bells by double-digit runs — 10 — by the second inning, only to slowly climb out of the deficit to make it a one-run game by the seventh at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex.
But the Raptors stranded four baserunners in two of the final three frames in a 10-9 loss to the Bells.

One day after Ridgefield (7-9 second half) took the series in Yakima Valley scoring a combined 35 runs over three games, Tuesday featured 19 runs, 30 hits and six errors by both teams. By the second inning, Bellingham (5-10 second half) had a 10-0 lead behind nine hits, including two home runs, and three Ridgefield errors.

But that’s the last the Bells scored.

Last-place Bellingham went 16-11 in the first half to finish second in the North Division, but hasn’t had a winning streak longer than two game since the league’s second half began.
A win by Ridgefield didn’t looked inevitable early Tuesday, but Ridgefield chipped away at the deficit to make it a 10-9 by the seventh. It stranded four baserunners over the seventh and eighth innings.

3 KEY MOMENTS

Harper ousted early — Bellingham plated 10 runs the first two innings when Ridgefield committed three of its five errors. Raptors starter Wesley Harper (Boise State) didn’t make it out of the second. He left trailing 8-0 and allowed six earned runs

Strand ‘em twice — The Raptors pulled within 10-9 in the seventh gaining a run off Willie Cano’s ground-ruled double. But Justin Boyd’s (Oregon State) flyout to shallow right field stranded two baserunners. Ridgefield also stranded two runners in the eighth.

Hits galore — Of the 30 combined hits, every Raptors had at least one base hit, and all but one Bells did, too. Five Raptors had multi-hit games: Boyd, Cameron Repetti, Steve Ramirez, Grayson Sterling, and Willie Cano.

3 KEY PLAYERS

Willie Cano — The Raptors’ No. 8 hitter went 3 for 5 with four RBI and a run. His ground-ruled double scored Michael Yourg that pulled the Raptors within 10-9 in the seventh.

Cameron Repetti — While the Cal State Fullerton signee struggled in the field with a multi-error game, he also was clutch at the plate. He finished 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI.

Jack Machtolf — The Gonzaga product and Bells’ second basemen went 3 for 5 with two RBI and had two singles as part of a seven-run second inning.

3 KEY NUMBERS

5 — The number of runs Ridgefield in its home second, sending nine batters to the plate. It began with consecutive singles and ended with Boyd’s two-RBI hit that made it a 10-5 game.

6 — The number of strikeouts reliever Brandon Nipp had in long relief. He pitched five inning in relief of Harper, and allowed four hits and two earned runs. He was one of eight pitchers used between Bellingham and Ridgefield.

2 — The number of home runs Bellingham hit in the second inning from Jack Machtolf and Derek Marshall (New Mexico). Marshall’s shot was a 3-run home run over the center field wall.

BELLINGHAM 10, RIDGEFIELD 9
Bellingham 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 10 13 1
Ridgefield 0 5 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 — 9 17 5
Bellingham
Pitching — Gabriel Hughes 2.2 IP (W), 5 H, 5 ER, 1 K, 4 BB; Danny Garcia 3.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 5 K; Matt Geoffrion 2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 5 K; Jimmy Chatfield 1 IP, 1 K; Highlights — Collin Burns 1-5, 2 R; Guthrie Morrison 1-5, R, RBI; Troy Viola 2-4, 2 R, RBI; Derek Marshall 1-6, HR, 3 RBI; Jake Gentry 2-4, RBI; Cole Hinkleman 1-4, R; Ethan Smith 2-5, R, RBI; Jack Machtolf 3-5, 2 RBI.
Ridgefield
Pitching — Wesley Harper 1+ (L), 7 H, 6 ER, 1 K, 2 BB; Brandon Nipp 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K; Ethan Clough 1 IP, 1 H; Joey Martin 2 IP, 1 H, 4 K, 2 BB; Highlights — Jonny Weaver 1-5, RBI; Justin Boyd 2-4, R, 2 RBI; Cameron Repetti 3-4, 2 R, RBI; Steve Ramirez 2-5, 2 R; Grayson Sterling 2-3, R; Michael Yourg 1-5, R, RBI; Willie Cano 3-4, R, 4 RBI; Jack Bauer 1-4, R.