Pippins defeat AppleSox 5-1 in season opener

WENATCHEE — Despite a three-hit performance from Brady Bean, the Wenatchee AppleSox fell to the Yakima Valley Pippins, 5-1, on Opening Night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The Pippins (1-0) capitalized early against AppleSox starter Mitch Haythorn (0-1), who allowed four runs—three earned—on three hits over three innings. Haythorn struck out six batters, including five consecutively, but Wenatchee (0-1) committed four errors and grounded into three double plays, stalling momentum.

Yakima Valley starter Ty Pangborn (1-0) earned the win with five innings of one-run ball, surrendering five hits, walking none, and striking out two.

Haythorn ran into trouble in the first inning, issuing back-to-back full-count walks. Finley Spicer followed with a two-run double into the left-center gap to put the Pippins ahead 2-0. In the third, Dillon Anderson led off with a single, then stole second and third before scoring on a Jacob Brooks RBI double. A throwing error by second baseman Noah Fields allowed another run to score, extending Yakima Valley’s lead to 4-0.

Wenatchee responded in the bottom half of the third, when Bean delivered an RBI single to drive in the AppleSox’s lone run.

In the sixth, the Pippins added an insurance run. Joe Thornton, who relieved Haythorn, fielded a weak grounder but made a high throw to first base. Kyle Bittner, who reached on the play, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Ethan Buckley. Thornton pitched three innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit, with a walk and a strikeout.

Easten Brooks and Alec Ammerman combined to toss the final three innings without allowing a run.

Head Coach Mitch Darlington said after the game the AppleSox failed to deliver hits in key moments, noting that all 10 of the team’s hits were singles. He added that the four errors and three double plays “didn’t help matters.”

The AppleSox and Pippins continue their three-game series Saturday at 6:35 p.m. in Wenatchee.