By Michael Carman
Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Lefties broke out the bats in a big way, pounding out 14 hits in a 15-4 exhibition win over the Northwest Honkers.
One of those hits was an RBI triple down the right-field line by Port Angeles High School junior and reigning All-Peninsula Baseball MVP Ethan Flodstrom, also a left-hander, during the Lefties’ eight-run seventh inning.
Friday’s win earned a split in the two-game season-opening series at Civic Field.
Port Angeles lost Thursday’s season opener 10-7.
Nick Diponzio swung a big bat for the Lefties in each game as the Stetson University outfielder went a combined 6 of 10 with a walk, a home run and three RBIs.
He was 4 for 5 with a solo home run to left-center field to score Port Angeles’ first run of the season in Thursday’s game and later added an RBI single.
In Friday’s contest, DiPonzio also scored the Lefties’ first run, leading off the bottom of the first with a single, moving to third on Ronnie Rust’s double and scoring on a Damiano Palmegiani two-run double.
Palmegiani added a second two-run double, his third in the two-game series, as part of Port Angeles’ eight-run seventh inning.
Starter Dwayne Angebrandt of Cal-State Northridge pitched well for the Lefties, allowing three hits and one run in four innings Friday, striking out one.
Returning Lefties such as Trevor Rosenberg and Baxter Halligan also played well in the two games.
Rosenberg had an RBI double in Thursday’s win and doubled and drove in a run on a sacrifice fly Friday night.
Halligan had a sacrifice fly in each game, added an RBI single Friday and also drew a walk to load the bases during Port Angeles’ eight-run seventh inning.
Catcher Alex Garcia of Edmonds Community College followed with a two-run double.
Rosenberg followed with a sacrifice fly. Also driving in runs in the big inning were Dylan Cyr on an RBI single, Palmegiani on a two-run double, Charlie Nasruti on an RBI singles and Flodstrom on his triple into the corner.
Flodstrom closed the scoring by coming in on a balk.
Michael Buchanan picked up the win in relief after pitching two clean innings.
Port Angeles will face Manzana de Reyes, a Cuban baseball team visiting Canada for the second straight summer, today in 1 p.m. exhibition at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park.
The Lefties then open the West Coast League season with a three-game series at the Portland Pickles Tuesday through Thursday. Port Angeles will return for its WCL opener Friday at Civic Field against the Bellingham Bells with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Lefties center fielder Nick Diponzio, center, is surrounded by his teammates after homering in the third inning against the Nortwest Honkers on Thursday at Port Angeles Civic Field.
