ATWATER -- Atwater Aviators interim manager Justin Parle was careful not to tip his hand.
Knowing his club would see Menlo Park again in the first round of Pacific West Baseball League playoffs, Parle didn't give the regular season champions anything to scout on Sunday evening.
So he anchored many of his top arms to the bench, resting them for a playoff run.
NOTE: All games for the first-ever Pacific West Baseball League playoff will be held at Atwater's Memorial Ballpark, beginning Friday.
Friday
Game 1: No. 2 California Seals vs. No. 3 Fresno Cardinals, 4 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Menlo Park Legends vs. No. 4 Atwater Aviators, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Loser of Game 1 vs. loser of Game 2, 10 a.m.
Game 4: Winner of Game 1 vs. winner of Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. loser of Game 4
Sunday
Game 6: Championship, winner of Game 5 vs. winner of Game 4, 11 a.m.
Game 7: Rematch of Game 6, if necessary, starts half hour after first game
The result was a meaningless loss that stretched late into the night -- 9-2 in favor of the Legends.
This Friday should be a little more telling of the Aviators franchise, a second-year club looking for a postseason championship to add to the PWBL regular-season title it won last summer.
Fourth-seeded Atwater opens the inaugural PWBL playoffs against Menlo Park in the nightcap at Memorial Ballpark at 7:30 p.m.
No. 2 California Seals will take on No. 3 Fresno Cardinals at 4:30 p.m. The Seals captured the regular-season series, 2-1.
"This is the best baseball Atwater has seen in a while," Aviators owner/general manager Richard Ruiz said. "The teams coming in are really, really good."
Friday's action will set the brackets for the double-elimination tournament, which extends into the weekend.
The championship is scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. An if-necessary a second game will be played 30 minutes afterwards. All games will be played at Memorial Ballpark.
The Aviators were picked to host the first-ever playoff tournament based on track record and drawing power, Ruiz said.
"For us to host it for the first time, it's special," Ruiz added, "because the league is going somewhere.
"For the city of Atwater, I think it's going to bring more attention. Especially in the world of summer baseball, Atwater will be considered one of the places to play in the future."
Menlo Park distanced itself from the PWBL in its first year of membership, winning 19 of its 24 games.
The Seals finished second at 16-8, while the Cardinals, another first-year team, edged the Aviators for third at 15-9.
However, the Aviators (14-10) surge into the playoffs.
After losing 13 of its first 16 games to start the season and seeing a handful of commitments suspended or fall through --2009 co-MVP David Rohm was drafted by the Braves and Cal State Fullerton freshman Dylan Floro briefly left the club to try out for the national team -- the Aviators finally took off.
With its roster reinvigorated with new additions like Kori Mello, Julien Pollard and Hunter Adrian, Atwater won its next 10 games to reach the .500 mark.
The Aviators would continue to climb, winning 19 of its final 22 games. Sunday night's loss to Menlo Park snapped a seven-game win streak.
No decision has been made on Friday's starter, though Ruiz said manager Rollo Adams and Parle have set the rotation.
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