QUINCY, Ill. — There has never been a dull moment for the Burlington Bees this summer.

So it was only fitting that for the second consecutive season, the Bees (34-22, 23-8) had to wait until the final day of the regular season to punch their ticket to the Prospect League postseason on Saturday night at QU Stadium.

They did in walk-off fashion in game one of the doubleheader, as Christian Graves lifted a two-run single into right center field to win Game 1 15-14, before a dominating 11-1 Game 2 win.

The Bees earned a return trip to QU Stadium on Sunday to play the Doggy Paddlers in the 2026 Northwest Division

Championship Game.

“I siwh we could do it a little easier and get a little calmer win,” Bees manager Owen Oreskovich said. “We like to make things interesting. It was fitting of the way we’ve played the second half of the season.”

Game 1

Burlington scored 11 runs in the bottom of the third inning to jump out to an 11-1 lead. 

“We talked about trying to put pressure on teams early,” Oreskovich said. “Hopefully we can do that again (Sunday).”

Quincy roared back by scoring 12 of the next 13 runs to take the lead before Lucas Krebs tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run.

The Paddlers would strike back with a run in the top of the sixth to go back up by a run.

Jake Weissenberger tossed two scoreless frames, including a 1-2-3 seventh frame to keep it a one run game.

Down by one run going into the bottom of the seventh, Troy Peltz pinch hit and led off the inning with a single. Krebs followed with a single of his own before a sacrifice bunt by Jace Figuereo to advance the runners to second and third.

Juan Fernandez would be intentionally walked before Graves drove in Peltz and Krebs to win the game and clinch the division.

“He had a good approach at the plate,” Oreskovich said. “He swung through a slider to make it 1-2, then choked up and put the ball in play. It worked out well for us. That gave us momentum going into the second game. That was probably the biggest at bat of the season.”

Game 2

A seven-run third inning set the tone with Rowen Bergeron hitting his third grand slam of the season to cap off the inning.

Brady Richards threw all five innings to pick up the win, while striking out four Paddlers.

Kole Sonnenburg and Kolt Kurzman each had RBIs in the top of the fourth before PJ Hamel hit a two-run home run in the fifth to put the Bees up, 11-0.

“We tried to get some different guys in for the second game,” Oeskovich said. “It was really nice to see everyone contribute.”

For the second consecutive season, the Bees took home the second half crown in the Northwest Division to make the Prospect League playoffs. 

“We are trying to take it one game at a time,” Oreskovich said. “We are taking it one pitch a a time and we’ll see where that takes us.”