Regardless of whether they win or lose their playoff series this weekend in Victoria, the will be in mix for the 2018 championship.
As the host team, the A害羞草研究所檚 have an automatic berth into the season-ending tournament, Aug. 3 to 5 at Elks Stadium.
Still, head coach Evan Bailey said the Athletics would prefer to earn their way into provincials, as opposed to backing in and adding an extra variable to the mix.
害羞草研究所淚f we lose, a fifth team would get in, instead of having four, and that害羞草研究所檚 not what you want,害羞草研究所� said Bailey. 害羞草研究所淲e want to win and be playing well heading into the last weekend.害羞草研究所�
The A害羞草研究所檚 and Mariners will meet in a best-of-three first round series, with Games 1 and 2 set for Saturday in Victoria. Game 3, if needed, would go on Sunday morning.
害羞草研究所淣o matter who you play, you害羞草研究所檙e going to have to play well to get out of the first round,害羞草研究所� Bailey said. 害羞草研究所淚n these three-game series, it害羞草研究所檚 often a matter of what you can do in a six-hour span.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 whoever is the best team that day, so there害羞草研究所檚 minimal room for error,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淵ou can throw everything that happened before out the door.害羞草研究所�
With nine wins in their last 10 games, no team finished the PBL regular season on a bigger upswing than the Athletics (30-18.)
In fact, no PBL club was better over the final 2 1/2 months of the regular season. After stumbling out to a 5-12 start, the A害羞草研究所檚 hit their stride, ripping off a 25-6 record to finish out the campaign.
ALSO READ: Athletics push PBL winning streak to eight
Based largely on the depth their pitching staff害羞草研究所攏ot to mention having a solid offensive and defensive game害羞草研究所擝ailey said the 2018 version of the A害羞草研究所檚 is among the most capable teams he害羞草研究所檚 coached.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e been playing really good baseball down the stretch and that害羞草研究所檚 what want, to be peaking going into the playoffs,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e feel like we have a really good chance. We害羞草研究所檙e deeper on the mound than in past years, and our veteran leadership is really solid.害羞草研究所�
The A害羞草研究所檚 finished off the PBL regular season last weekend, taking three of four from the North Shore Twins (31-17) at Elks Stadium.
In Saturday害羞草研究所檚 opener, Jackson Borne had three hits and two RBIs in a 4-3 Okanagan win. Adam Sarafinchin picked up the win in relief.
In Game 2, the Twins rebounded with a 12-5 win.
On Sunday morning, Sarafinchin singled home Marcus Strother with the winning run in the eighth inning as the A害羞草研究所檚 prevailed 3-2.
In the series finale, Cole Van Every delivered two hits and three RBIs in a 5-2 A害羞草研究所檚 victory. Sarafinchin (5-2) earned his second win of the weekend, once again in a relief role.
To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.
<>
whenderson@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
