AppleSox set for first Canada trip of 2024, face HarbourCats in WCL clash

VICTORIA, B.C. - The Wenatchee AppleSox are set to make their first trip to Canada in 2024 as they take on the Victoria HarbourCats in a highly anticipated West Coast League matchup at Royal Athletic Park on Friday night.

The AppleSox, coming off a series win against the Port Angeles Lefties, will send right-hander Evan Canfield to the mound for his first start of the summer. Canfield, who last started for the AppleSox on Aug. 5, 2022, boasts an impressive track record with the team, ranking 12th in innings pitched (71) and 15th in strikeouts (75) in club history.

Victoria will counter with freshman sensation Elijah Higginbottom from Tacoma Community College. Higginbottom posted a 1.10 ERA with 67 strikeouts over 65.2 innings this spring and is headed to Grand Canyon University in the fall.

The AppleSox offense has been fueled by a patient approach at the plate, drawing a league-high 37 walks through their first six games, tied with the Corvallis Knights. However, they struggled with runners in scoring position during the Port Angeles series, going just 6-for-33 in those situations.

Reigning WCL Player of the Week Max Hartman will look to extend his hitting streak to seven games for the AppleSox. Hartman opened the season with five consecutive multi-hit games, a feat unmatched by any Wenatchee player in the last 14 seasons.

The HarbourCats, last year's WCL runners-up, have started the season strong with road series wins at Kamloops and Kelowna. They set a WCL record with a 25-2 home record in 2023 and will aim to continue that dominance against a talented AppleSox squad in a rematch of last year's North Division Series.

First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. local time, with live streaming available on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv and radio coverage on kcsyfm.com.