The final four is set.

Following the opening round of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) Postseason, the top four seeds have advanced to the Division Final Series.

The 42-14 Okotoks Dawgs disposed of the fourth-seeded Energy City Cactus Rats with a 24-7 win and a 16-6 victory to sweep the best-of-three series at Seaman Stadium and move onto the West Division Final.

The Dawgs will face the Sylvan Lake Gulls for a fifth straight postseason. The Gulls, who went 38-18 in the regular season, went the distance against the Lethbridge Bulls. Sylvan Lake defeated the Bulls in the series opener by a 9-2 score at Gulls Field, dropped the second game at Spitz Stadium 10-3, and held on for a 3-2 triumph in the third and deciding matchup.

In the East Division, the 41-15 Moose Jaw Miller Express swept the Medicine Hat Mavericks with 10-9 and 12-5 wins.

The Millers now face the Saskatoon Berries, who had their hands full with the defending champion Regina Red Sox. Saskatoon claimed the opener with a 7-3 victory at NexGen Patch at Cairns Field, fell 5-3 at Currie Field, and then came out on top in the third installment of the series with a 5-3 win in front of their purple-clad home crowd.

With the contending field now reduced from 12 WCBL teams to four, the second round of the postseason gets underway on Tuesday, Aug. 11th in Okotoks and Moose Jaw.

Here's a closer look at the matchups:

WEST DIVISION FINAL

1. OKOTOKS DAWGS (42-14) vs. 2. SYLVAN LAKE GULLS (38-18)

The battle to be the best in the West comes down to a pair of Alberta rivals who have been locked on a collision course for years. The Dawgs first faced the Gulls in the postseason in 2022 and swept Sylvan Lake two straight summers. In 2024, the Gulls finished first overall in the WCBL regular season and pushed the Dawgs to the full three games but lost on home field. That set up the third consecutive title in a league championship three-peat for the Dawgs. Sylvan Lake finally got the better of Okotoks last year with a West Division Final sweep, before losing in the WCBL championship to the Regina Red Sox.

This rivalry gained even more depth in 2026 with the inaugural Road to Okotoks U19 national tournament, which culminated in a Morneau Cup victory for Dawgs Academy, who defeated Gulls Prep 11-5 in the final. Several players from both high school teams have since been added to the collegiate rosters in Okotoks and Sylvan Lake for their WCBL postseason runs.

It all sets up what should be a phenomenal West Division Final between the two clubs.

Through eight regular season matchups this year, the Dawgs won five games over the Gulls, including their final head-to-head duel at Gulls Field on Aug. 3rd by a 7-3 score.

Okotoks made quick work of the Cactus Rats in round one, outscoring Energy City 40-13 in the Seaman Stadium sweep.

The Dawgs offence was firing on all cylinders, receiving contributions up and down the lineup. Hitting leaders during those two games included third baseman Eric Machej (.600 batting average, four doubles, five RBI); first baseman Nash Crowell (2.156 OPS, one home run, five RBI, one stolen base); outfielder Cal Gates (five hits, seven runs, two doubles, two stolen bases); outfielder Jordan Kievman (two homers, six RBI, .545 batting average); shortstop Ricardo Sanchez (five hits, five runs, three RBI) and outfielder Landon Kauffman (five runs, three RBI, two stolen bases).

While starting pitcher Brody Forno picked up the win in the series opener after striking out five batters through four innings, Okotoks also received standout mound performances from two-way player Emmett Stacher (1-0 record, six strikeouts, 3.50 ERA over two innings); Brody Burnette (two innings, two strikeouts, 3.50 ERA); Logan Rumberg (one inning, two strikeouts, no runs allowed); Matthew Tran (one inning, two strikeouts, no hits or runs allowed); and Will Labonte (two innings, one strikeout, no hits, no walks, no runs allowed).

The Sylvan Lake Gulls took a longer path to the West Division Final series, playing three games against the Lethbridge Bulls and emerging after a 3-2 nailbiter went their way in the third contest. The Gulls scored 15 runs in the first round and allowed 14 runs against.

Sylvan Lake's bats were led by outfielder Dominic Giusti (.818 on-base percentage, five hits, four walks); Australian outfielder Charlie Collins (six hits, one triple, one stolen base, 1.321 OPS); third baseman Johnboy Rittenhouse (two doubles, one triple, four RBI, three runs); and outfielder Elijha Hammill (three RBI, one double, two walks, .333 batting average).

On the mound, the Gulls received strong starts from Reece Hemmerling (five innings, one win, eight strikeouts, 1.40 ERA) and Matthew Mackenzie (5.2 innings, one win, three strikeouts, 2.47 ERA). Brayden Stewart was also highly effective in closing out the final game of the series against Lethbridge. He nabbed a save after generating five strikeouts and allowing no walks or runs over 3.1 innings. In addition, the Gulls also received solid bullpen efforts from Trent Chavez (two innings, four strikeouts, no runs, no walks, no hits); Seth Mahler (two innings, two strikeouts, 3.50 ERA); and Griffin Catto (one inning, two strikeouts, no walks, no runs).

Who will emerge as the top slugger in this next chapter between the Gulls and Dawgs? Which pitchers will shut the door when they're needed the most?

Those answers will become clear when the best-of-three series begins on Tuesday, Aug. 11th, with opening pitch set for 7:05 pm at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks. Gulls Field will play host to the second game at 7:05 pm on Wednesday, Aug. 12th. If necessary, the third contest is set for 7:05 pm in Okotoks on Thursday, Aug. 13th.

EAST DIVISION FINAL

1. MOOSE JAW MILLER EXPRESS (41-15) vs. 2. SASKATOON BERRIES (38-18)

The last time these two teams squared off in a postseason game it was absolute mayhem.

The third installment of the opening round matchup between the Saskatoon Berries and the Moose Jaw Miller Express in 2025 was a heavyweight tilt and both clubs were throwing haymakers. The Berries, who set a league record with 46 regular season wins, had built what seemed like a comfortable 10-3 lead heading into the eighth inning. The Miller Express cranked out eight hits, including a three-run homer off the bat of Eduardo Saenz, and took advantage of a fielding error and a pair of wild pitches to score nine runs and go up 12-10. It seemed like a nightmare end to the season was awaiting the Berries. But Saskatoon found a way to even the score in the bottom of the ninth. Following a three up, three down top of the 10th inning, the Berries started the bottom of the frame with a single from outfielder Ethan Murdoch and a walk from designated hitter Cory Wouters. Jalen Freeman loaded the bases with another single, setting up a childhood dream scenario for outfielder Carter Beck. After running the count full, the Carnduff, Saskatchewan product blasted an absolute no-doubter of a grand slam over the right-field fence to give the Berries the walkoff 16-12 win of the game, as well as the series victory. The improbable comeback of the Miller Express was wiped out by a flexing Beck bash that sent the 1,759 fans at NexGen Patch at Cairns Field in Saskatoon into hysterics.

This will be the third consecutive summer the Berries and Millers face each other in the postseason. While Saskatoon sent Moose Jaw packing last year, it was the Miller Express who ended the playoff run of the Berries in 2024, earning a 5-3 victory in the third and deciding game of the East Division Final that year.

During the 2026 regular season, the Berries faced the Miller Express eight times and won five of those matchups.

The Millers went to two WCBL Championship Finals recently - in 2022 and 2024 - but lost both times to the Okotoks Dawgs.

The Berries are still seeking their first East Division title and league championship appearance.

In getting to this point, Moose Jaw took care of the Medicine Hat Mavericks with a first-round sweep. The Miller Express outscored the Mavs 22-14 in the two games.

Driving the offence was third baseman Michael Rago (five hits, four runs, three RBI, one stolen base, 1.575 OPS) and outfielder William Edwards (three runs, three RBI, two doubles). The Millers also received production at the plate from outfielder Pacey Phillips (.500 batting average, two runs, one RBI, one stolen base); second baseman Ben Waliczek (four hits, two runs, two RBI); catcher Garryn Plummer (four runs, two RBI, one stolen base); designated hitter Jacob Mraz (one home run, three RBI); shortstop Thomas Soto (three runs, two RBI, three walks); outfielder Chris Franks (two runs, three RBI, one double); and first baseman Eduardo Saenz (two RBI, one run, one double).

The Miller Express only used four pitchers during the entire series. Southpaw Jacob Glazener earned a win by logging 6.2 innings, striking out three batters and registering a 4.20 ERA. After setting a single-season record for strikeouts (92) in the regular season, Westin Walls didn't get the win in his start but he did chew up six innings, generate four Ks and post a 5.83 ERA in the series opener. Jacob Quiles worked in relief in both games against Medicine Hat. Through his 4.1 innings, he picked up a win, piled up six punchouts and recorded a 1.62 ERA. Local product Nathan Pisio had one save while allowing no walks or runs in his one inning of work.

The Saskatoon Berries were able to get some payback on their journey to the second round.

By eliminating the defending WCBL champion Red Sox in three games - and outscoring them 15-11 in the trio of contests - the Berries avenged their postseason loss to Regina from last summer. A diving catch by Saskatoon outfielder Ethan Murdoch with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning of Game 3, and a three-run homer from designated hitter Nick Stinson helped the Berries punch their ticket to the East Division Final.

In addition to the heroics of Stinson and Murdoch, who also had a home run in the series, Saskatoon also got big hits from shortstop Brock Laird (.545 batting average, three RBI, two runs); catcher Aiden Kilshaw (one homer, four RBI, three runs); outfielder Nash Nichols (two runs, two doubles, one stolen base); and outfielder Nathan Houston (three hits, two runs, one stolen base). Second baseman Gael Salinas, the WCBL batting champion during the regular season, only had one hit in his 11 at bats.

The pitching staff got outstanding performances from Zachary Landerville (six innings, 10 Ks, 1.17 ERA); Wesley Shackleford (five innings, one win, one save, nine strikeouts, zero runs allowed); and Augie Grohman (four innings, four strikeouts, 1.75 ERA). Lefthander Brooks Jones also picked up a win and two punchouts while allowing no walks or runs in his 2.2 innings on the mound. Diego Quinonez, Colin Plain and Dallen Rude all pitched one inning of scoreless baseball for the Berries. Merek Yeager was the only pitcher tagged with a loss, but he still managed five innings and four strikeouts against Regina.

The Miller Express earned home-field advantage in the series so the first game goes at 7:05 pm at Ross Wells Park on Tuesday, Aug. 11th. The rematch shifts to NexGen Patch at Cairns Field in Saskatoon at 7:05 pm on Wednesday, Aug. 12th. If needed, a decisive third game is set for Moose Jaw at 7:05 pm on Thursday, Aug. 13th.