PORT McNEILL — The Woodchuckers broke open a tie game with a six-run third inning and went on to claim their second straight Port McNeill Slo-pitch league title with an 18-7 win over the Sportsmen last week at Centennial Field.
Mike Miller, Jason Evans and Aaron Desbiens each homered for the Woodchuckers, who swept their three playoff games after earning the top spot in the league's regular-season standings.
Ryan Clarke homered for the Sportsmen, who were tied 3-3 with the Woodchuckers after two innings. Had the Sportsmen won, the two teams would have squared off again in an "if necessary" final.
Crystal Christiansen went 4-for-5 and scored four runs for the winners. Miller and Evans scored three runs each, Justin Hodgson had three hits and scored twice and Desbiens also scored a pair of runs.
Dan Slater crossed the plate three times for the Sportsmen, and Dan Wilson had two hits and two runs.
The Sportsmen played six times in the three-week tournament and won three elimination games to earn their finals meeting with the Woodchuckers. Dropped into the consolation bracket by a second-round loss to the Dustmen, the Sportsmen then eliminated the Dustmen in the consolation semifinals.
The Talons finished third in the playoffs and the Dustmen placed fourth.
Port McNeill Slo-pitch
League playoffs
First round
Talons d. Woss Brewers
Sportsmen d. Timberlands
Dustmen d. Ribbon Slingers
Hi Vis d. Team Awesome
Round 2 - loser out
Timberlands d. Ribbon Slingers
Woss Brewers d. Team Awesome
Round 2 - winner's bracket
Woodchuckers d. Talons
Dustmen d. Sportsmen
Quarterfinals
Dustmen d. Hi Vis
Semifinals
Woodchuckers d. Dustmen
Consolation - loser out
Talons d. Timberlands
Sportsmen d. Woss Brewers
Talons d. Hi Vis
Sportsmen d. Dustmen
Sportsmen d. Talons
Championship
Woodchuckers 18, Sportsmen 7
Regular-season standings
1. Woodchuckers
2. Hi Vis
3. Dustmen
4. Sportsmen
5. Woss Brewers
6. Talons
7. Timberlands
8. Ribbon Slingers
9. Team Awesome