HarbourCats aim to silence Bells in playoffs

Forty was fantastic. But it’s also yesterday’s news.

“Winning 40 games in the regular season [a new West Coast League record] means nothing if we don’t beat Bellingham in the playoffs,” said Victoria HarbourCats head coach Graig Merritt. “Our new goal is 44.” Four post-season victories are required to capture the WCL crown.

The HarbourCats open the best-of-three North Division playoff series tonight in Bellingham against the Bells. The second game is Wednesday at Royal Athletic Park. A third game, if required, would be Thursday evening at Royal Athletic.

Victoria (40-14) and Bellingham (32-22) tied for the secondhalf division championship at 17-10, but the Bells were awarded the second-half title based on their 4-2 season record against the HarbourCats. But it was a moot point because Victoria had already clinched a playoff berth as the first-half division champion.

The winner of the North Division playoff series will advance to meet the winner of the South Division playoff in the best-ofthree WCL final. The South final is between the first-half champion Corvallis Knights (34-20 overall and 16-11 second half) and the second-half winners Yakima Valley Pippins (32-22 overall and 17-10 in the second half).

Austin Dondanville (6-1 with 1.72 ERA) will start tonight for Victoria and Jon Olsen (5-2 with 2.10 ERA) from the Pac-12 UCLA Bruins for Bellingham.

Josh Mitchell (7-0 with 1.86 ERA) is expected to take the mound Wednesday for Victoria and Will McAffer (6-2 and 1.98 ERA) if needed on Thursday for the HarbourCats.

They will face a formidable Bellingham offence that includes WCL batting champion Shane Hanon (.331), WCL all-star game home-run derby champion Jake Vieth out of Gonzaga, who had four homers on the season, and Chase Strumpf from the UCLA Bruins, who had three homers. David Banuelos from Long Beach State was particularly effective at the Bellingham plate during the six games against Victoria. Bells outfielder Andru Cardenas tied for the WCL lead in stolen bases with 23.

Victoria batting is led by A.J. Alcantara (.333), P.J. Floyd (.318), Ryan Anderson (.300), Tommy Jew (.298) and Brad Pluschkell (.296). Ben Polshuk tied for second in the WCL with five home runs behind the seven slammed out by Michael Toglia of the Wenatchee AppleSox.

They HarbourCats’ batters must be wary in the last inning of Bellingham closer Sam Hellinger from Gonzaga, who led the WCL in saves with 13.

“The Bells are very complete in the pitching department with very strong arms,” said Merritt. “That is the strength of their team.”

But Merritt added he would put his own pitching staff up against Bellingham’s anytime. An advantage is that Bellingham batters have not yet seen Dondanville or Mitchell, who were shrewdly held out of the two series against Bellingham.

With pitching being the operative department on both clubs, Merritt said he expects tight and low-scoring games in the Victoria-Bellingham series.

“It’s going to be very close and will come down to who can play catch the best and avoid making that crucial error,” said the HarbourCats skipper.

Merritt said he likes his defence in that regard.

“[Third-baseman] Brad Pluschkell and [shortstop] Tommy Jew deserve to be goldglove winners in this league,” said Merritt.

“That left side of our defence is probably the best in the league. In the outfield, A.J. Alcantara has taken away three home runs this season with leaping catches and getting his glove over the fence, and Matt Lautz is like a deer in centre field. That will be important because you are going to have to play catch in this series.”

The runs will be produced by scratching them out.

“The offence is going to be small ball, bunting and stolen bases,” said Merritt.

“They are likely to be one-run games. It’s going to be about execution and fundamentals.”