Nate Kirkpatrick rapped two extra-base hits and five Bellingham pitchers combined on a three-hitter as the Bells captured the West Coast League title with a 2-1 victory over the Portland Pickles, Thursday night.

With the win, the Bells won their second WCL championship (2014) and knocked off the defending champion Pickles in the process.

Kirkpatrick (VCU), who provided the game’s first hit with a double in the top of the second, golfed a 2-1 pitch off Portland starter Dylan Smith (San Jose State) down the line in left field for just the second home run by a Bell in the 2025 postseason.

Bells starter Trevor Moore (Stanford) went five hitless innings while striking out eight to pick up the victory. He navigated traffic as he issued a walk in each of the first four innings (five overall).

Bellingham reliever Caleb Cassie (Queens College) walked two in the sixth, but prevented Portland from scoring and Mack Edwards (UCLA) maintained the 1-0 lead in the seventh despite a leadoff single.

In the top of the eighth, the Bells put runners at the corners with one out courtesy of a double by Aiden Aguayo (UCLA), a wild pitch and a hit batter.

Noah Cassie (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) followed with a tapper to shortstop and beat the relay throw to first for an RBI-fielder’s choice that increased Bellingham’s advantage to 2-0.

Carter Herrera (Cal State San Bernardino) worked a perfect eighth before turning the ball over to Colt Peterson (Stanford) in the ninth.

Bryson Glassco (Oregon State) was hit by a pitch to open the final frame. After WCL single-season home run and RBI record holder Josh Schleichardt (Oregon) was retired on a pop up, Braydon Wooldridge (Oregon State) singled to put the tying run aboard.

Following a foul out by Elie Kligman (Michigan), Conner Stewart (Long Beach State) delivered an RBI-single to cut Portland’s deficit to 2-1.

Grafton Stroup (Western Oregon) fell behind 0-2 before working the count full. Peterson then fired a 91-mile per hour fastball past Stroup to earn the save and seal the Bells’ hard-earned title.

About the West Coast League: For 20 seasons, the West Coast League has been western North America’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. With teams ranging throughout Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alberta, the WCL offers top collegiate players the chance to compete at a high level, develop their skills, and showcase their talents in front of thousands of fans, MLB scouts, and national media.