In a postseason featuring perennial title contenders and fresh faces, the West Coast League Divisional Semifinals provided plenty of drama and entertainment.

Three of the four series went to a deciding game Sunday after Friday and Saturday each featured a last at bat win by a home team.

NORTH DIVISION
Wenatchee defeated Kelowna 2-0
Bellingham defeated Nanaimo 2-1

After posting a league-best 39-13 record in the regular season, the AppleSox rolled to a two-game sweep, outscoring the Falcons 17-3.

Mitch Haythorn (Northern Colorado) earned WCL Pitcher of the Week honors with six innings of four-hit shutout ball in the opener. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.

In Game 2, the AppleSox scored multiple runs in each of the first three innings and cruised to an 8-3 win that advanced Wenatchee to the North Division Championship Game at home.

Nanaimo, making its postseason debut, rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to take the series opener 3-2. The NightOwls loaded the bases with two outs on two walks and a single before another free pass forced in the tying run. Nathan Widelski (UC San Diego) capped the comeback with an RBI-single on a one-strike pitch.

The Bells even the series with a 3-1 victory at home. Bellingham got on the board with a pair of runs in the first and three pitchers combined on a four-hitter with 14 strikeouts.

Bellingham clinched the series with a 17-4 victory. Rominic Quiban (Nevada) starred at the plate with three hits, including a home run, and three RBI.

SOUTH DIVISION
Ridgefield defeated Portland 2-1
Corvallis defeated Walla Walla 2-1

The Raptors and Pickles combined for 58 runs and 14 home runs (11 by Ridgefield), with the home team winning each game.

Portland trailed twice in Game 1 before taking the lead for good in the fifth inning. Masa Chilcutt (Rice) and Cody Nitowitz (Portland) each had three hits for the Pickles.

Game 2 featured five lead changes, the last coming in the bottom of the ninth when Braden Watson (UC Santa Barbara) belted a game-winning three-run home run on a 0-2 pitch to give the Raptors a 12-10 victory that evened the series.

In the decisive third game, Ridgefield fell behind 7-3 before rallying. Watson started the comeback with a three-run homer in the fifth and a five-run sixth gave the Raptors the lead for good as they eventually won 12-8. JT Summers (Oregon commit), captured the WCL Player of the Week award, largely based on his four home runs he hit in the series.

The Knights routed Walla Walla 15-5 on the road in Game 1 behind four hits and four RBI from Diego Cruz (Oregon State commit). Cruz collected two doubles, stole a base and scored twice.

The Sweets forced a winner-take-all game with a 3-2 victory in Corvallis. DJ Kauahi (Bushnell), making his first start since June 18, fired seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts to earn the victory.

Corvallis took the series 9-6 with a 15-hit attack. Dakota Chun had three hits, including a double and a triple, and scored three times for the winners.

About the West Coast League
The West Coast League is North America’s premier summer collegiate baseball league, now in its 21st season. Sixteen teams span the region from Oregon to Alberta, giving top amateur athletes a grand stage for competition, development, and connection with the communities they represent, in the finest summer baseball weather on the continent. In each of the last three seasons, a WCL alumnus has been selected in the top five of the MLB Draft, and 10 players have come off the board in the first 10 picks over the last decade.