The Victoria HarbourCats had the Wenatchee AppleSox on the ropes, twice, but couldn’t finish off the North Division regular-season champions.
After winning Game 1 of the best-of-three North Division semifinal series, the HarbourCats lost Game 2 9-1 on Sunday and were beaten 7-2 in Game 3 on Monday night at Paul Thomas Field in Wenatchee, Washington.
The AppleSox move on to the West Coast League’s North Division final against the Bellingham Bells. The Bells won Game 3 of their semifinal series 5-1 against the Edmonton Riverhawks on Monday night in Bellingham.
On Monday in Wenatchee, AppleSox starter Cam Hoiland stymied the HarbourCats hitters, going 5 1/3 innings while allowing just three hits and one earned run. And HarbourCats’ starter Jalen Sami went pitch for pitch with Hoiland until the AppleSox exploded for five runs in the fifth inning to take control.
Kamana Nahaku led the HarbourCats’ attack with three hits and an RBI, while Gunner Antillon added a pair of hits.
The winner of the North Division final will take on the winner of the South Division final which has the defending WCL champion Corvallis Knights taking on the Portland Pickles. Both division finals are one-game, winner-take-all formats.
