Double-header double win

Photo: Contributed

Keeping their winning streak alive, the Kelowna Falcons beat the Kitsap Bluejackets in double-header action.

After game one of the series was rained out Friday evening, the two teams clashed in an afternoon/evening double header on Saturday.

After sweeping the Bluejackets in Kitsap last week, the Falcons came into this series on a roll and kept that roll going, but it wasn’t easy.

The Falcons took a reported marathon game one by a score of 4-3, before turning around and squeezing out another victory in the late game, edging their opponents 2-1.

As is the norm in West Coast League double headers, both games are shortened affairs, scheduled for seven regulation innings to help fit two games into one afternoon.

However, the first game of that day was anything but short. It took 11 innings for a winner to emerge with both sides putting up a fight and refusing to go down.

Jake Simmons started the first game on the mound for the Falcons, giving his club a solid five innings pitched, allowing just three runs on seven hits with a single walk.

Riley Moore came on in the sixth, finishing up the final six frames with a dominant performance.

The club recorded 12 hits off the bats of nine different players. Bowen Ogata, Max Carter and Davis Todosichuk each recorded a pair of hits. Ogata also earned an RBI in the first matchup.

The victory represented the Falcons’ fourth in a row, pushing their second half record to an even 5-5.

They weren’t finished there though, after a brief break between games, they came out looking to shut the door on their visitors from the south.

After a game one that saw a combined 20 hits, the offense cooled down significantly for the late matchup.

Both teams combined for just eight hits and three runs in the second game.

Falcons head coach Bryan Donohue knew his team was struggling to get the bat on the ball in the second game of the night, so his team managing the win was all the more impressive to him.

“Pretty good job just finding ways to get on base. When you put pressure on a team like that, it’s not an easy situation, with the bases loaded and the game on the line. Kudos to our guys for taking care of it.”

The pair of wins Saturday vaulted the Falcons into first place in the WCL North division.

Donohue knows sitting atop the standings is a pressure position, but he thinks his team is well suited for the challenge.

“I think these guys are going to thrive there. Just knowing that we control it. We don’t have to go scoreboard watch, we can just go out and win baseball games.”

The long day of baseball took its toll on both teams, but there is a sense of energy and pride on the line for the Falcons, who will hope to close out the series with another victory on Sunday.

First pitch for the series finale is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Elks Stadium.