Series Win
- Updated: July 26, 2019
KELOWNA, BC – The Kelowna Falcons use a terrific start from Nick Nygard and a five-run 4th inning to pace them to a 11-1 victory over the Yakima Valley Pippins on Thursday night at Elks Stadium.
Ezra Samperi knocked a three-run homer while Nick Nygard, Tucker Grote and James Shimashita combined to quiet the Pippins offence as Kelowna earned their second straight series win and their fourth win in the last five games.
The Falcons offensive attack picked up where it left off on Wednesday night and got to Pippins starter, and former Falcon, Bo Henderson in the bottom of the first inning with a pair of runs to take the lead.
Matt Voelzke kept his hot bat going with an RBI single up the middle to plate Austen Butler and give Kelowna a 1-0 lead before James Shimashita brought him home with a sacrifice fly extended the Falcons lead to 2-0 after an inning of play.
Kelowna kept the pressure on in the 2nd inning, adding to their lead with three runs in the frame. Cole Cummings delivered the big hit in the inning with a two-run double down the left field line before Marvcus Guarin brought home a run with an RBI single to push the Falcons ahead 5-0 after two innings.
A five-run 4th inning did most of the damage for the Falcons as the lead was increased to double digits. Marvcus Guarin and Richi Sede picked up RBI singles, the second of the game for Guarin, before Henderson was replaced by left handed reliever Darius Garcia and Ezra Samperi made a big splash.
The Falcons catcher sent a three-run home run to left field, just getting over the fence for his first home run of the summer and pushing the Falcons ahead by a 10-0 score after just four innings of play.
Meanwhile, Nick Nygard was doing his thing on the mound. After giving up a lead off triple to Nick DiCarlo in the game, Nygard struck out the side in the 1st inning and never looked back, dealing 5.1 innings of solid ball.
Tucker Grote took over for Nygard in the 6th, inheriting two men on before the bases were loaded up. Grote forced a 6-4-3 double play to Sede to end the top of the inning and end Nygard’s night with no runs allowed on just three hits and five strikeouts.
The Falcons added to their lead in the 8th inning thanks to Austen Butler, who sent a ball to right center field and scored Sede from second base before being thrown out trying to extend the single to a double but gave Kelowna an 11-0 lead into the 9th inning.
James Shimashita came on in the 9th inning, taking over for Tucker Grote who threw 2.2 innings of scoreless ball as the Pippins broke the shutout bid with James Bell knocking an RBI single to left field to see the game finish 11-1 in the Falcons favour.
The Falcons (5-9/15-25) will go for the series sweep against the Pippins (7-8/18-23) on Friday night at Elks Stadium. Tickets are available at the Falcons website as well as at the gate ahead of the 6:35pm first pitch.
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