AquaSox Drop Game Three, 1-0
VANCOUVER, BC: It has been outhouse or castle for the AquaSox offense so far in the Northwest League Championship series. They got shutout in game one, scored ten runs in game three, and got shutout again Friday night in game three. As it turned out, Vancouver could only muster one
VANCOUVER, BC: It has been outhouse or castle for the AquaSox offense so far in the Northwest League Championship series. They got shutout in game one, scored ten runs in game three, and got shutout again Friday night in game three. As it turned out, Vancouver could only muster one run of their own, but it was just enough for the Canadians to take a 2-1 series lead.
The Frogs did create their fair share of rallies, especially early on. Cole Young and Harry Ford led off the game with a single and a walk, respectively, to put runners at first and second with nobody out, but Vancouver starter Hunter Gregory retired the next three hitters to pitch out of the jam.
Then, in the second inning, the AquaSox loaded the bases with two outs on two walks and a hit batsmen, but once again, this rally did not lead to anything on the scoreboard.
AquaSox starter Brandon Schaeffer pitched through runners in scoring position in the third and fourth but managed to keep Vancouver scoreless. Both Schaeffer and Gregory departed after four innings of stellar work. Schaeffer gave up no runs on two hits and struck out three, while Gregory gave up one hit and struck out six.
Gregory was replaced by Ian Churchill in the top of the fifth, and it looked like the Frogs were finally going to muster a run with the starter out of the game. After Young walk and a throwing error on a Ford ground ball, there were runners at first and third with nobody out. Once again, Churchill pitched through the jam and maintained the stalemate.
This stalemate lasted until the bottom of the sixth when Vancouver finally broke through. Ryan McCarty singled to start the inning, which was followed by a Cade Doughty hit batsmen before Gabriel Martinez picked up the lone RBI of the game on a single that made it 1-0. The Frogs could have given up a much more crooked number in the inning, but Jimmy Kingsbury and Sam Carlson did well to pitch through runners at first and second with nobody out and maintain the status quo.
The Frogs put runners at first and second with one out in the seventh, which chased Churchill from the game after 2.1 innings of stellar relief work. His replacement, Ryan Boyer, pitched through the jam and maintained the Canadians’ advantage.
This would be the last major Everett rally, as Boyer and Larkin shut things down the rest of the way to preserve the 1-0 win. The AquaSox got shutdown performances themselves from Carlson and Troy Taylor, but it was just not enough to secure a victory.
Everett now finds themselves down 2-1 in a do-or-die scenario on Saturday night as they look to force a winner-take-all all-game five on Sunday night. The first pitch will be at 7:05 on Saturday from Vancouver, British Columbia.
PICTURED ABOVE: Harry Ford
PHOTO CREDIT: Shari Sommerfeld
ABOUT THE EVERETT AQUASOX: The Everett AquaSox are the High-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Everett is a member of the Northwest League and has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the AquaSox moniker in 1995. For updates on the 2023 season, community initiatives and Webbly appearances follow the Frogs on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or visit our website, AquaSox.com. Group and picnic outings can be purchased by calling (425) 258-3673 or visiting the AquaSox Front Office at 3802 Broadway in Everett.