The Bellingham Bells beat the Kamloops NorthPaws 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at Joe Martin Field to win the final series of the regular season. Despite an off-day from the plate for the Bells, who managed just four hits, they still found a way to produce runs through their 11 walks.

The Bells kicked off the game by drawing five consecutive walks to score two runs, then a wild pitch scored Walker Burchfield to put them up 3-0 in the first inning. The NorthPaws countered in the second with a two-out, bases loaded single by Ty Siffermann that scored two runs to trim the Bells’ lead to one.

Bellingham surged ahead in the fifth inning, when Colin Blanchard got their first hit of the afternoon with an RBI single that scored Burchfield for his second run of the game. Later, with the bases loaded, Noah Meffert hit a short infield single that drove in Cameron Dayton, then Blanchard scored to extend the lead to 6-2.

They tacked on one more in the seventh, with a bases loaded ground ball by Alex Fernandes that scored Blanchard’s second run of the game. Kamloops managed one more run in the ninth, but it would come much too late.

Matthew Delvecchio gave up two runs in his three innings as the Bells’ starter, but their six relief pitchers held the Paws largely silent for the rest of the game. Calvin Wood (1-0) earned the win, striking out the side in a strong sixth inning. Paws hurler Chase Marshall (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs in his two innings pitched as their starter.

The Bells will face the Victoria HarbourCats in round one of the WCL playoffs, after the Cats pulled out a 3-1 win against Edmonton in a must-win finale the same afternoon. The Cats will host the Bells on Tuesday, Aug. 9, before travelling to Bellingham for Game 2  on Wednesday and a possible Game 3 on Thursday.

“It was a dogfight our first series when they came here, and it’s gonna be a dogfight when we go there,” Noah Meffert said after the game. Meffert had a hit and an RBI in the win, playing shortstop as he has been for the past few games.

“To finish off the season with a win in front of these fans, the best in the WCL in my opinion, to give them something to look forward to back on Wednesday, it’s really cool.”