Recap
One day after clinching their spot in the playoffs, the Kelowna Falcons (17-11) got pummeled by the Victoria HarbourCats (16-13) to the tune of 14-1.
It was a night to forget for Kelowna, who came into the ball game and looked tired from the start. The Cats were able to scatter 19 hits all across the field, with multiple Victoria players having three over the nine innings of play.
It’s officially the start of the second half of the season. Kelowna has already punched their ticket, but they don’t want to get complacent as the season rolls along before playoff time.
Bryan Donohue, the Falcons head coach, wasn’t happy with the blowout loss. He said, “It’s tough to get down so quick. This was a learning moment for us. When we get punched early, we need to stay focused. We’ve proven to ourselves that we can fight our way back into games. We allowed that game to spiral out of control. It was an unacceptable game on all facets. We were flat. It was a bit of gut shot and a wake-up call. This is the time of the year to get those out of the way and learn from them. ”
Donohue did have some positive takeaways from his team, however. He said, “Andrew Alvarez, Holden Groff and Shea Barry had rough outings their last time pitching. I was proud that they went out there and were competing. I didn’t think one of those guys that stepped on the mound didn’t compete. I think as they continue to get those innings, that they will be that much sharper. Tonight was a good sign for those three guys. They were ready to go, they took advantage of opportunities and I think they can build on this experience. I was proud of their effort.”
Kelowna and Victoria will meet again for game two on Wednesday night. Sam Menegat makes his first start of the season and the first pitch will go at 6:35 pm.
Falcons Play by Play and Recaps provided by Anthony Fusco.
