The season boils down to one game tonight for the Three Rivers Sandblasters, who host Salem Post 9 in a loser-goes-home playoff game at Florence.

Withnell Dodge beat the Sandblasters 9-2 at Salem in the first round of the Zone 3 playoffs on Thursday, while Post 9 lost to regular-season champion Richey’s Market at Corvallis.

The winner of tonight’s game at Siuslaw High School will advance to the Zone 3 vs. Area 4 playoffs, with the specific seed being determined as the league playoffs continue this weekend. The game starts at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast by KCST (106.9 FM).

If the Sandblasters win tonight, they will travel to the loser of a game tonight between Withnell Dodge and Richey’s Market on Saturday, with a chance to improve their playoff seeding.

Withnell Dodge led from the start Thursday, and was in front 9-0 before Three Rivers scored in the eighth inning on a two-run double by Scott Buche.

“We didn’t play well at all,” said Three Rivers coach Alex Morales. “We came out flat. Hopefully, we come out with better effort and better composure (against Post 9). It was very uncharacteristic of our team.”

Doug Bloom had three hits, while Robbie Jackson and Blake Miller each had two-run doubles for the Dodgers.

Ethan Ottemiller went 2-for-2 and also reached base on two walks.

Three Rivers had two runners on in the first, second and fifth innings and couldn’t capitalize against Withnell pitcher R.J. Phillips.

“He pitched well and threw strikes,” Morales said.

Withnell Dodge 9, Three Rivers 2

Three Rivers    000    000    020    —    2    7    2

Withnell    202    031    10x    —    9    13    1

Willie Grader, Chad Wells (7) and Ethan Ottemiller; Phillips, Kelsh (7) and Varay. 2B—TR: Scott Buche; Wit: Jackson, Miller. 3B—Wit: Bloom.