In winning seven of their last 10 games, the transplanted Purcellville Cannons of the Valley Baseball League (Virginia) were able to climb into the league playoffs by finishing fourth in the six-team North Division.

Purcellville had a 19-23 regular season record to edge New Market and its 18-24 record for the last playoff berth from the North Division.

Strasburg (30-12), Winchester (23-19) and Front Royal (21-21) were the top three teams from the division.

Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, Covington and Staunton secured the four playoff berths from the five-team South Division.

Only New Market, Woodstock and Charlottesville failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Purcellville, which competed as the Charles Town (WV) Cannons last summer, had to face top-seeded Strasburg in the best two-of-three first round playoffs.

Strasburg won the playoff opener, 16-6, on its its home field. And the Express closed out the brief series with a 5-1 win in the second

game played at Fireman’s Field in Purcellville.

The other first-round survivors were Front Royal over Winchester, Waynesboro over Staunton and Covington over Harrisonburg.

The Cannons finished their first season in Purcellville with an

overall record of 19-25.