Editors Note: A more detailed game story, photos as well as a column about the game will appear in Sunday’s Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — A night at the ballpark to remember, a ball game best to forget for the Port Angeles Lefties.
Port Angeles, the newest West Coast League member, fell 11-2 to its crosswater rival the Victoria HarbourCats on opening night in front of a sizeable crowd estimated between 1,500 to 2,000 people.
At first the Lefties didn’t provide much to cheer about, as pitcher Nick Caudillo, pitching in his first game at any level in more than a month, looked rusty.
Caudillo allowed three earned runs, four total on two hits, three walks and a couple of wild pitches as Victoria opened up a 4-0 lead.
The HarbourCats added a pair of runs in the second and one more in the third before Port Angeles scored for the first time with two outs in the bottom of the third inning.
John Burkhardt walked to open the inning before Victoria pitcher AJ Block, a Washington State Cougar, struck out two batters.
Center fielder Taylor Adams reached base on an infield single, the first hit in Lefties history, and catcher Dutton Elske drove in two runs with a sharply struck single to left field.
That’s as close as Port Angeles came in the contest. Block struck out eight batters in his three innings on the mound to earn the win.
Caudillo was tagged with the loss.
Port Angeles (0-1) now faces a three-game road trip against the Kelowna Falcons. That includes a 3 a.m. Friday departure time for the team bus.
The Lefties will be back at it at Civic Field on Monday against Kelowna at 6:35 p.m. to kick off a six-game homestand.
