In the first game of a best-of-three divisional playoff series against the Kelowna Falcons on Tuesday, Aug. 8, the Bellingham Bells held on for a one-run road victory to set up a win-and-advance scenario Wednesday night at home.
After a quiet first three innings at Elks Stadium in Kelowna, British Columbia, the Bells scored the first and only run in the fourth when Colton Bower’s bases-loaded single brought Dean West home.
While neither team was able to earn another run, it was the pitching on both sides that dominated the remainder of the game, with both offenses totaling just two hits each. Bells’ right-handed pitcher Ryan Beitel tossed six shutout innings, striking out seven batters before being replaced by Trevor Moore to start the seventh.
“All three pitchers did a marvelous job. It was very, very impressive,” Bells head coach Jim Clem said. “Ryan Beitel for six innings was exceptionally good, and then Trevor Moore came in and pitched two shutout innings and then [James] Trimble, our closer, came in and slammed the door. We could not have asked anything more of our pitchers.”
The Bells secured the first seed in the North Division after fishing atop the league in the first-half season standings. Bellingham and Kelowna faced off six times in the regular season before Tuesday’s game, with the Bells winning the season series 4-2 with a 14-run advantage.
In last season’s divisional playoff round, the first-seeded Bells swept the Victoria HarbourCats. They will look to clinch another first-round victory and send Kelowna packing after Wednesday’s game, which starts at 6:35 p.m. Aug. 9 at Joe Martin Stadium. If a third game is required, that will be held at Joe Martin Stadium at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 10.
