Northwest Arkansas needed help to just get into the Class AA-Central championship series last weekend, but the Naturals made the most of its opportunity to claim the league crown.
Brewer Hicklen hit a grand slam to snap a 1-1 tie in the top of the fourth inning to propel Northwest Arkansas to a 6-2 win over Wichita on Friday night as the Naturals finished off a three-game sweep of the Wind Surge on the road.
The Naturals, who hadn't been to the playoffs since 2016, tied the game 1-1 on Clay Dungan's sacrifice fly in the top of the third but took command in the fourth.
Meibrys Viloria led off with a single, Seuly Matias walked and Freddy Fermin singled to load the bases with nobody out off Wichita starter Austin Schulfer. Hicklen, the Naturals left fielder, then followed with the grand slam to give the Naturals the lead for good.
Wichita answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth off Northwest Arkansas Drew Parrish, but the Naturals' bullpen slammed the door to take the title.
Reliever Nolan Watson earned the win with four scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, struck out one and did not walk a batter. James Cuas pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the deal.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino added an RBI-single in the seventh for Northwest Arkansas. Fermin went 2-for-4 and was the only Natural with more than one hit.
Northwest Arkansas hadn't been to the playoffs since 2016 but won on the final day of the regular season, while both Arkansas and South Division champion Frisco lost to give the Naturals the spot in the series opposite Wichita.
The Naturals' only other championship in the club's history came in 2010 when they won the Texas League title.