AppleSox rally late to edge HarbourCats 7-6 in front of record crowd

WENATCHEE -- The Wenatchee AppleSox staged a late-game comeback to defeat the Victoria HarbourCats 7-6 on Wednesday night, thrilling a capacity crowd at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

In front of 2,294 fans, the largest attendance in at least 14 years, the AppleSox (19-10, 1-1 second half) overcame a two-run deficit in the final innings to secure the victory.

James Castagnola led the offensive charge with three RBIs, including a crucial two-run single in the seventh inning that gave Wenatchee its first lead of the game. Roberto Gonzalez contributed significantly, reaching base four times throughout the contest.

On the mound, Garrett Ahern struck out six batters over four innings, while Hunter Gibson fanned five in his three-inning relief appearance.

The HarbourCats jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning, capitalizing on three AppleSox errors. Despite inducing potential double-play ground balls twice, Wenatchee's defense failed to record an out on either occasion.

Trailing 3-2 entering the seventh, the AppleSox rallied. After Castagnola's go-ahead hit, Victoria responded with three runs in the top of the eighth to regain a 6-4 advantage. However, Wenatchee's resilience shone through in the bottom half of the inning.

Jake Larson and Castagnola drew consecutive bases-loaded walks with two outs, tying the game. The decisive moment came when Gonzalez scored on a wild pitch, sealing the comeback victory for the AppleSox.

Wenatchee will conclude its home series against Victoria on Thursday night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The team then heads to Nanaimo for a weekend series.