AppleSox rout Bells to advance to WCL Championship

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee AppleSox advanced to the West Coast League Championship with an 18-4 victory over the Bellingham Bells in the North Division Championship game.

Wenatchee will face the Corvallis Knights in the championship series as the AppleSox seek their first WCL title in 14 years.

Bellingham scored first in the second inning, but Wenatchee answered in the bottom half. Ryder Young hit a solo home run to right field to tie the game before Paxton Bigby hit a three-run homer 388 feet over the right-field fence to give the AppleSox the lead.

Wenatchee added 14 runs over the next six innings. Zach Doyle and Raphael Dunne each hit bases-clearing triples, while Noah Fields added a two-run double.

Starting pitcher Sean McGrath held Bellingham to one run despite allowing multiple scoring opportunities. Joe Thornton took over in the fifth inning and recorded a strikeout to end the frame.

Chihiro Sato pitched the final three innings and earned his first save.

The victory sends Wenatchee back to the WCL Championship after the AppleSox missed the title series last year.

Wenatchee has won five WCL championships and previously appeared in the championship eight times. This year's appearance will be the franchise's ninth.

The championship series begins at 6:35 p.m. Thursday at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.