It’s been a season of inconsistency for the Kelowna Falcons are they battle for a playoff spot in the second half of the season.
Going into play on Thursday, July 13, the Falcons are 18-15 on the season after finishing the first half at 14-12 and 4-3 a week into the second half. The team’s longest winning streak this year is three games - that has happened twice, while their longest losing streak is also three games. That has happened once.
With their 18-15 record, the Falcons currently sit fourth in the West Coast League’s (WCL) North Division, which is the fourth and final playoff spot. The Wenatchee AppleSox, who already have a playoff spot by winning the first half, sit first in the division with their 24-8 record.
Also like their record indicates, the Falcons statistics show how down-the-middle they’ve been this season. On the offensive side of the ball, the Falcons are batting .247 as a team, ninth in the 16-team league. Additionally, they’ve scored 163 runs (nearly five runs per game) and have allowed 154 earned runs as well as allowing 29 unearned runs. The unearned runs come from the team’s weak link this season, their defense. They’ve made 52 errors as a team in 33 games, fourth most in the league.
From an individual standpoint, pitcher Troy Shepard has led the way. In eight starts, he’s 2-0 with a 3.19 ERA, seventh best in the league. Falcons relief pitchers Thrasher Steed and Reid Hensley are tied for third with three saves each.
Infielder Jonas Salk has stayed hot at the plate all year long. He currently sits 14th in the WCL with a .327 batting average (33/101) with seven doubles, one home run, and 20 RBIs (tied for 11th in the league).
The Falcons have just 21 games left in the regular season as they fight for a playoff spot. They’re next in action on Friday, July 14 when they welcome the Edmonton Riverhawks to Elks Stadium for a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and tickets are available on the Falcons website.
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