Kelowna Falcons

12-Inning Setback

The Kelowna Falcons dropped game one of their weekend series with the Kamloops NorthPaws on Friday night 6-5 in 12 innings at Elks Stadium.

After the visitors jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second off Falcons’ starter Derek Beairsto the offence woke up in the bottom of the third. Makana Olaso led the inning off with a single and eventually would come around to score on a NorthPaws error to tie the game. The Falcons then loaded the bases and Troy Baunsgard smoked a two-out double to score Troy McCain and Shea Thomas for a pair of unearned runs.

In the next inning the Falcons added to their lead as Griffin Palfrey hit a two-run single to score McCain and Olaso who each singled to lead off the inning and stole a base.

The NorthPaws answered quickly in their next at bats scoring two runs off Beairsto, only one was earned.

The Falcons held onto a two-run advantage heading into the ninth inning, but the NorthPaws showed terrific grit and were able to tie it off reliever Sam Hasegawa who was making his debut. The tying run was a bang-bang play at home courtesy of a headfirst slide from Hunter Swapp that would have been the final out of the game had the Falcons defence been a second quicker.

In the 12th the NorthPaws scored the eventual winning run off reliever Cole Van Every who was thrust into action because of the extra innings.

On the offensive side the Falcons outhit the NorthPaws 13-12 but couldn’t find a way to solve their bullpen. After they chased starter Colby Ring, who lasted 3.1 innings, the Falcons didn’t score another run and tallied just six of their 13 hits off the pen.

Saturday night the Falcons (5-7) will get another crack at the NorthPaws (9-6) at 6:35pm. The Falcons will also be honouring Westbank First Nation and wear special orange jerseys to show their support for Every Child Matters.

Reserve your tickets online HERE.

BOX SCORE

Photo courtesy of Tami Quan Photography

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