2023 Spokane Freedom Holds Off Rapids for 45+ Division Title at Inland Northwest Men’s Baseball League

Inland Northwest Men’s Baseball League, 45+ Division

Spokane Freedom 13, Spokane Rapids 11

The Spokane Freedom won their third consecutive 45-over title in the Inland Northwest Men’s Baseball League with a victory over the Spokane Rapids.

The 45+ title game was surprisingly high-scoring from the first pitch. Freedom jumped on Rapids starter Charlie Zimmerman with three quick runs as the first four batters had hits. The Rapids answered right back plating three runs of their own. After the Rapids escaped a bases-loaded top of the second, they exploded for five runs in the home half off starter Bret Fink.

The runs slowed a bit as the Freedom managed to score single runs in the third and fourth innings while Fink settled in holding the Rapids to a single run over the 3rd, 4th, and 5th. The Freedom woke up late scoring two in the seventh and a big six runs in the eighth, where they sent 10 men to the plate.

Juan Vazquez came on in relief and threw scoreless 6-7-8 innings allowing Freedom to take a 13-9 lead into the bottom of the ninth. The Rapids did not go quietly. The first two batters reached and scored and with the tying runner at first base, Jimmy Smith came on to end the game with a strikeout for the save.

The Freedom was led by Kelly Holm, Martin Sakwi, and Scott Smith who each collected four hits. The biggest of these was a bases-loaded double by Sakwi in the eighth to give the Freedom their first lead since the first inning. The run-scoring was extremely balanced as 10 different players combined to score the 13 runs.

The Rapids were paced by Ethan Wynecoop’s three hits while Mike Lee reached in all five at-bats and scored four runs.