Hometown Pride Gives Hawks the Series Win
2025-06-21
Hawks earn a 5-2 win over the division-leading AppleSox
Box ScoreBy Larry Read
EDMONTON, AB—
The Edmonton Riverhawks have handed the Wenatchee AppleSox something they haven’t experienced so far this West Coast League season: a series loss. The Riverhawks dumped Wenatchee 5-2, tonight night at RE/MAX Field.
It was the second straight victory for the Riverhawks over Wenatchee in this three game weekend series, and with that win it gives Edmonton the series. It is the first time that the AppleSox haven’t been able to win a three-game battle in 2025. The 3839 fans on hand saw the home team improve to 10-7 for the season. Wenatchee’s season record dips to 11-6.
The Riverhawks drew first blood in the bottom of the 2nd inning. #25 Royce Hale drove the ball to left field where AppleSox #17 Jee Hee Lee dove to make the catch but the ball fell out of his glove. Hale would score on a ground out by #12 Stevie Waters. Two batters later, the newest Riverhawk, #42 Drew Veatch celebrated his debut with a solid shot to left which bounced off the wall. He wound up with a double as he plated #1 Shiryu Sato. Sato had singled earlier in the inning. Those runs gave Edmonton a 2-0 advantage.
Edmonton tried to add to their lead in their half of the 3rd inning. With two outs, Wenatchee starter #26 Karsten Sweum walked two and gave up a single to Hale. That brought up Sato who hammered a ball to the warning track in left field where Lee had to go to the warning track to make the catch to end the inning. Hale was two for four on the night with a run scored.
It’s the bottom of the 4th where the flood gates open for the Riverhawks. Things got going with two away. #6 Robert Phelps hit a long shot to left field for a double. He was followed by #13 Grant Yzermans who brought Phelps in on a single. The next batter, #48 Max Stagg beat out an infield hit to first base. Yzermans and Stagg both scored when a hot shot off the bat of #36 Mitchell Middlemiss to Wenatchee third baseman #33 Jake Stanko went off his glove and into left field. Stanko was charged with an error. That made the score 5-0 Edmonton. That did it for Swenum who was pulled after the inning.
The AppleSox got on the board in the top of the 8th. With #40 Rece Allensworth on in relief, the Sox got aboard on a fielder’s choice. A pinch runner who scored from a ball up the middle cut the Riverhawks lead to 5-1. Then, a single to right field brought in the AppleSox’ second run. After Allensworth loaded the bases, he was replaced by # 15 Jack Becker. Becker promptly got a fly out to right field to end the inning. #33 George Naramore came on for the 9th and got two strikeouts and a ground ball to earn his first save of the year.
The Riverhawks utilized six pitchers in the contest. #8 Matthew Ridsdale started and went 4.0 innings of four-hit baseball with four strike outs. He was replaced for an inning by #2 Austin Egan. He earned a strikeout and was the winning pitcher of record - his first victory of the season.
This game was Love Wins - Pride Night presented by Smith Thompson Law. The joy, colour and celebration of Pride with the community which featured our friends from Pride Tape, Party Queen Drag performers and there was a post-game Pride Dance Party. The Riverhawks wore rainbow pinstriped jerseys that were auctioned off after the game.
The Riverhawks will put the capper on their most recent home stand tomorrow afternoon against the AppleSox. Opening pitch is set for 1:05 PM MDT.
It’ll be Baseballs and Body Slams presented by Boston Pizza. New Mexican wrestler, the legendary ‘Micro Man” and high-flying wrestlers from Top Talent wrestling will take centre stage after the contest for exhibition matches. Boston Pizza will have their “steel cage” which features a match worth of gift certificates.The weekly promo is the usual Sunday Barking Bleachers.
Head over to tickets.gohawks.ca to grab yourself a seat. Follow along with the game at @RiverhawksGames on X and keep up with everything happening with the Hawks on Instagram, Facebook, @EdmRiverhawks, and TikTok. See all the latest news at riverhawksbaseball.com.
Following the contest, The Riverhawks will head to Vancouver Island for three games against the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo Night Owls. They play Victoria June 24-26 before moving up Island to Nanaimo for games June 27-29.
The AppleSox and Riverhawks will meet again in a couple of weeks. They have a three game West Coast League series set for Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium in Wenatchee July 22-24th.
EXTRA INNINGS: Veatch is a resident of Andover, Kansas and attends Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. He was one for four with a run batted in.