The Bellingham Bells knocked off the Victoria HarbourCats, 8-0, in game two of the teams’ series tonight at Royal Athletic Park.
The Bells pitching staff was dominant from start to finish, securing the series victory in the team’s second shutout of the summer. A win in the series finale Sunday would make the Bells West Coast League North first half champions, securing themselves a spot in the WCL playoffs.
Logan Hatley had the start for the Bells and dazzled, holding the HarbourCats hitless until the fifth inning.
The Bells, meanwhile, were held hitless until the sixth, but their first hit of the ballgame would give them their winning run. Guthrie Morrison came to the plate with two on and no out and hammered a Jack Hyde offering off the scoreboard for a three-run homerun, his first of the summer.
Ahead 3-0, Hatley tossed a scoreless sixth to finish his day having scattered two hits and two walks, while striking out a season-high nine across six scoreless frames.
He handed the Ball to Jimmy Chatfield, who pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings before the Bells staked him an 8-0 lead with five runs in the top of the ninth.
Cole Hinkelman started the scoring with an RBI single to score Jack Machtolf. Collin Burns then followed with a two-run double before Austin Kretzschmar scored another with a sacrifice fly. The Bells’ eighth run scored on an error on a Morrison ground ball.
Chatfield then allowed the first two men he faced on in the bottom of the ninth before Danny Garcia took over to close the door for the 8-0 win.
The teams will face off in the series finale Sunday at 1:05. The Bells will look for their second sweep of the summer.