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On their way back to Saskatoon from a Game 1 victory on Tuesday night, the Saskatoon Berries vowed to not return to Moose Jaw again in Western Canadian Baseball League playoffs.
After earning the biggest victory in franchise history on Wednesday, the team fulfilled that promise.
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“We were talking about it the whole bus ride last night,” said outfielder Nathan Houston.
“Got to get it done in two. We don’t want to go back for Game 3. We don’t care, we’re going to get it done in two. We know we’re the better team and we’re going to get it done.”
For the first time in franchise history, the Berries are headed to the WCBL championship series after they took down the Moose Jaw Miller Express 7-4 on Wednesday in Game 2 of East Division finals.
Not only is it the first sweep in the Berries’ three-year history as a team, but the win has now set up a best-of-three series against the Sylvan Lake Gulls with the Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy on the line.
Berries designated hitter Nick Stinson, who served as Game 3 hero last series against the Regina Red Sox, stepped up again for Saskatoon as he went two-for-four at the plate with a trio of RBIs in front of record crowd of 2,467 fans at Cairns Field.
“I heard it was a record-breaking crowd today,” Stinson said.
“They were here early and we knew they were going to show up. Definitely a huge advantage for us, and I just can’t wait to get started in the championship.”
It’s sweet redemption for the Berries after they stumbled in heartbreaking Game 3 losses in both 2024 and 2025 in the East Division final, including a stunning upset at the hands of the Red Sox last year after setting the WCBL’s single-season wins record.
“Last year, we were expected to go to the final and run away with it, run away with the post-season,” Houston said. “I think we kind of fell under some pressure and couldn’t get it done. We definitely owe it to the fans to go out there and win it.”
The Berries were able to outlast Miller Express ace Westin Walls, who led the WCBL with a record 92 strikeouts this season and threw a whopping 123 pitches in six innings of work on Wednesday.
That included a big third inning for Saskatoon, as the Berries hung five runs on the perennial all-star to take a lead which they would not relinquish the rest of the night.
“We knew (Walls) was going to be a tall task today,” Stinson said.
“We trusted in our lineup and all our guys. We knew that if we just chipped away at every at-bat, one pitch at a time, we knew we’d have success off him.”
Making his final appearance in a Miller Express uniform, Walls said he left everything he had on the field in Saskatoon.
“It’s playoffs,” Walls said. “That’s when you empty the tank. That’s what it’s all about. Coming here, this is what you look forward to, so they weren’t going to take me off the mound.”
It was Moose Jaw striking first on Wednesday night, as a Pacey Phillips single in the top of the second inning put two runners on for Ben Waliczek.
A fielding error by Saskatoon shortstop Brock Laird off a Waliczek hit allowed Garryn Plummer to score the opening run, before Thomas Soto singled to centre field to score Phillips and give the Miller Express an early 2-0 lead.
Carnahan kept starting pitcher Owen Stempel on a short leash, as he was pulled after the second inning after allowing two earned runs on four hits against with a pair of strikeouts.
He was replaced on the Saskatoon mound by Adam Korte, who threw 3.2 innings out of the bullpen with just one earned run allowed on three hits.
Saskatoon’s offence finally broke through in the bottom of the third inning with the bases loaded, as rookie catcher Aiden Kilshaw reached first base on a fielder’s choice to bring home Laird from third.
Saskatoon Berries third baseman Mason Roell (right) connecting on a pitch in a 7-4 victory over the Moose Jaw Miller Express on Aug. 12, 2026. (Steve Hiscock/ Saskatoon Berries)
Following a walk to Josh Henson, it was designated hitter Nick Stinson stepping up again in the post-season with a double to bring home two more runs and give the Berries their first lead, with a score of 3-2.
On the very next pitch, veteran left fielder Nathan Houston took a pitch to the grass to bring in another pair of runs for the Berries to stake their lead to 5-2 after three innings of play.
“We were able to string a couple of hits together, get some base runners and a couple big hits in there,” said Carnahan.
“We had some opportunities early on that we didn’t cash in on, but you keep getting base runners on eventually with the lineup we have and the depth, we’re going to cash in.”
Moose Jaw fought back in the top of the sixth inning with two runs after a Waliczek single which caught Laird up high, before another error charged to Laird brought home a run to make it a 5-4 game.
With runners at second and third base with two out in the top of the seventh, the Berries got their biggest strikeout of the season from reliever Brooks Jones, who sat Michael Rago down looking to maintain the Berries’ slim one-run lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Saskatoon added some insurance with a sacrifice-fly from Kilshaw for his second RBI of the night and a Stinson double to right field.
Closer Wesley Shackleford continued his blistering post-season for the Berries over the final two innings, as he did not allow a Moose Jaw hit and now has allowed just one hit against in seven innings of work this playoffs.
“Wes has been awesome,” Carnahan said. “He comes in and it doesn’t matter the situation he comes in, he pumps strikes. He doesn’t waver.”
Shackelford closed out the series with an Eduardo Saenz fly ball to right field, which was caught by Ethan Murdoch to secure the 7-4 victory for the Berries.
Stinson said the bond between the Berries is only growing by the series, with at least two more games now guaranteed as they chase a ring this weekend.
“They all feel like brothers to me,” Stinson said. “We’re all going to hang out after this and we’re all probably going to hang out tomorrow, probably at Murdoch’s house and go to the pool or something. It’s a blast man, we’ve gotten so close in just such a short period of time.”
The Berries split their season-series 1-1 against Sylvan Lake this year, with the Gulls coming off a two-game sweep of their own over the Okotoks Dawgs.
According to Carnahan, this moment has been years in the making not only for his players and staff, but for the entire baseball community in Saskatoon.
“The city opened up to us right away, even when the franchise was announced and the name was announced,” Carnahan said.
“These past three years, it’s been remarkable. There’s not a better place to be than here, it’s a lot of fun and we’re glad to have the opportunity.”
Game 1 of the WCBL championship series will be played on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Sylvan Lake, before the Berries host Game 2 at Cairns Field on Sunday at 7 p.m.
Miller Express reach end of the line in Saskatoon
It was dejection down the third base line on Wednesday for the Miller Express, meanwhile, especially considering the historic 2026 season the team has enjoyed this summer.
Moose Jaw finished atop the WCBL’s East Division with a 41-15 record, marking the best regular season record in franchise history.
Miller Express head coach Michael Gonzalez said it was hard to find the right words to say after years of success, including two trips to the league final in 2022 and 2024.
“This group means a lot to me, because I’ve seen some of these guys grow up over the last couple years,” Gonzalez said.
“I’m so proud of the way they performed this season. I know it wasn’t the result that we wanted, but I’m going to miss these guys.”
Among the graduates from the Miller Express program are veteran stars like Thomas Soto and Walls, who Gonzalez said he had all the faith in giving the ball for 123 pitches Wednesday.
“He’s been our guy for the last three years,” Gonzalez said. “We’re going to live and die with him, and he gave us a chance.”
One of the WCBL’s greatest arms of the last decade, Walls said his tenure in Moose Jaw has meant the world for a pitcher all the way from Terrell, Texas.
“It’s been very special,” Walls said.
“It’s hard to sum up my time in Moose Jaw, this is my third year and it’s meant a lot more than baseball. This summer, there was something special about coming to the ballpark every single day. You never knew what was going to happen.”
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