The Victoria HarbourCats are headed to the West Coast League North Division championship.
The HarbourCats, backed by impressive pitching from starter Davis Franklin and reliever Jake Finkelstein, beat the Wenatchee AppleSox 4-2 in Game 2 on Wednesday night at a jam-packed Wilson’s Group Satdium at Royal Athletic Park. The victory gave Victoria a series sweep and the HarbourCats will now host the one-game, winner-take-all division final on Saturday night against the Bellingham Bells. The Bells knocked off the Kelowna Falcons 5-3 in Bellingham on Wednesday to sweep their division semifinal.
The North Division winner will advance to the WCL championship game against the South Division winner.
At Royal Athletic on Wednesday, it was a pitchers duel to start with as AppleSox starter Andrew Monson held the HarbourCats without a hit for five innings. But when Wenatchee went to the bullplen to start the sixth inning, Victoria’s bats came alive. Marco Pirrucello got things started with a triple and he was promptly brought home by an RBI double from shortstop Hudson Shupe. Pirrucello finished 2 for 4 on the night, and Tripp Clark had a two-run homer.
Franklin went five innings, giving up three hits and no runs, before giving way to Finkelstein who threw three innings of no-hit ball to get the win.
