AppleSox bounce back big, set stage for winner-take-all game 3

WENATCHEE- Quincy Vassar delivered a masterful complete-game performance to lead the Wenatchee AppleSox to a decisive 9-1 victory over the Victoria HarbourCats in Game 2 of the North Division Series on Sunday night. The win forces a Game 3 showdown in the West Coast League playoffs.

Vassar, a left-hander, dominated throughout the contest at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium, allowing just one run while striking out eight over nine innings. His 118-pitch outing marked his second complete game of the summer and kept Wenatchee's postseason hopes alive.

The AppleSox offense provided ample support, with Cam Hoiland homering and driving in three runs. Jonathan Fitz contributed two RBIs, including the game-winning hit in the third inning. Wenatchee's bats came alive in the fifth, plating four runs to break the game open.

Vassar, a 2024 West Coast League All-Star, showcased his composure by working out of several jams. His most impressive escape came in the sixth inning when he induced an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded, preserving Wenatchee's growing lead.

The HarbourCats' lone run came in the fourth inning on three consecutive two-out singles, briefly cutting the deficit to 2-1. However, Vassar shut the door from there, scattering eight Victoria runners over the course of the game.

Wenatchee's offensive outburst in the fifth inning proved to be the turning point. Six straight AppleSox hitters reached base with one out, highlighted by Hunter Friedberg's two-run single and Hoiland's RBI hit.

Hoiland added a two-run home run in the seventh inning to cap the scoring, as Wenatchee tallied runs in five of their eight turns at bat.

Vassar's complete game was a rarity for the AppleSox, marking the first nine-inning effort by a Wenatchee starter in either regular season or postseason play since July 18, 2018.

The series now shifts to a winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday night in Wenatchee. The victor will advance to face the winner of the Bellingham-Edmonton series in the North Division Championship Game.

First pitch for Monday's decisive contest is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.