EUGENE -- Joey Wong is chasing another championship this summer in the Northwest League.
Wong went 1-for-4 with a run-scoring single during a six-run second inning that sparked Tri-City to a 6-4 win over Eugene on Thursday at Civic Stadium.
Wong was drafted this summer by the Rockies in the 24th round after his junior year at Oregon State, and he elected to skip his senior year to sign with Colorado.
"It's been great," Wong said. "Obviously I'd like to hit better, but we've got great guys, we're playing good baseball, and we're looking forward to making the playoffs. So it's been a blast."
Wong is hitting .198 as the everyday shortstop for the Dust Devils (28-18), who are leading the East Division, eight games ahead of Spokane.
"I feel really comfortable at the plate. Now I just need to keep going at it and try to get some balls to fall in," Wong said.
Tri-City is chasing its first league title since 1984, but championships have come much more frequently for Wong, who is looking to add a professional title to his prep and college championships.
The 21-year old has already racked up an impressive list of championships, starting during his days at Sprague High in Salem, Ore. He was the quarterback when the Olympians won the state football title in 2004, and he was an all-state selection in baseball that spring when Sprague won the state title.
As a freshman at OSU, he was named to the All-College World Series team as the Beavers won their second straight national title.
"Winning is what it's all about," Wong said. "I've been fortunate to be in good programs and it has continued this summer and that's all you can ask for."
Tri-City knocked Eugene starter Miles Mikolas out of the game with six runs as it batted through the order in the top of the second inning.
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On paper, Dust Devils have NWL title wrapped up
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PASCO -- If you look at the Northwest League website, you'll see that the Tri-City Dust Devils have vastly superior numbers to the Vancouver Canadians.
The Dust Devils swept the first half and second half East Division titles, and then went on to sweep Boise in the best-of-3 NWL divisional playoffs.
The Canadians didn't win either half in the West and backed into the playoffs after losing five of their last six regular season games.
Kamiakin cross country sweeps all-area honors (w/ photos)
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KENNEWICK — It's Kamiakin's world; everyone else is just running in it.
In terms of the Mid-Columbia cross country scene, that's an apt description of this last fall season.
The Braves boys and girls not only dominated league meets -- at times placing their full squad of seven in the top 10 -- they performed well at the big races and brought home a bounty of state hardware.
Dust Devils head to NWL championship series
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PASCO -- The Tri-City Dust Devils have been able to hold champagne celebrations in the clubhouse twice this season.
First, the Dust Devils did it in late July after clinching the first-half title in the Northwest League East Division. They did it again Tuesday after a 9-1 win over Boise to win the NWL Divisional Playoff series at Gesa Stadium.
They're counting on getting good and happy one final time, hopefully to commemorate Tri-City's first Northwest League championship since 1984. The Tri-City Triplets were the last team from Tri-Cities to win the NWL title. The Tri-City Posse, an independent team, won the Western Baseball League championship in 1999.
Dust Devils drop Game 1 of NWL finals
Dust Devils drop Game 1 of NWL finals
PASCO -- The Tri-City Dust Devils hopped on a bus for Vancouver, British Columbia, late Friday night after their 6-3 Game 1 loss to the Vancouver Canadians in the Northwest League Championship Series at Gesa Stadium.
Along with their bats, gloves and spikes, the Dust Devils hoped to carry a win across the border. Instead, they might need to pack a miracle or two, as they need to win both games at Nat Bailey Stadium to earn their first NWL championship.
"We've got to go up there and win two," said Tri-City manager Fred Ocasio. "They came in and beat us at home, but we're capable of doing the same thing."
WSU's new hire tops memorable year in Mid-Columbia
WSU's new hire tops memorable year in Mid-Columbia
Has another year gone by already?
Time does seem to fly when you're watching sports, and the Mid-Columbia has certainly done it's share to fill the news cycle during 2011.
A couple of local athletes made a splash on the national stage, and all three Tri-Cities' sports franchises made a push for league championships. A few high school teams reached the pinnacle of their sport by winning state titles.
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