Game two of the Australian Baseball League playoffs were underway early this morning. Both the Perth Heat and the Canberra Calvary were able to win their second games in their respective semifinals matchups. The Heat would defeat the Giants, and the Calvary edged the Blue Sox. Here is how the matchups went down in Australia.
The Heat got the scoring going in the top of the third inning, with an RBI single from Ulrich Bojarski to score John Diaz to grab an early lead.
Angel Mateo brought home Alex Hall on an RBI groundout as the Heat led 2-0 after the third inning. Hall would then add a solo home run in the fifth inning, as the Heat would lead 3-0.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Giants loaded up the bases for Niko Hulsizer. He would hit an RBI single that scored three runners.
Hulsizer was able to end up on second base after a throwing error from Hall, as the Giants would tie things at three apiece.
The next inning, with one runner on base, Diaz would blast a two-run home run. The Heat would reclaim the lead at 5-3.
Former MLB veteran Warwick Saupold would replace Steffon Moore on the hill, and he would record the final three outs for the Heat to secure the 5-3 victory, to advance to the finals.
The Sydney Blue Sox looked to even the series up at one game apiece, as they sent their ace Alex Wells to the mound for game two. The Calvary wasted no time, as Matt Hallbach delivered an RBI single in the second inning to score Miles Simington to grab the early lead.
The Blue Sox would even the score in the bottom half of the inning, as Solomon Maguire would hit an RBI triple to score Harry Fullerton to tie things back up at one apiece.
Armond Upshaw wasted no time in the top of the third, as he powered a solo home run for the Calvary to retake the lead. They would add on again in the fourth and fifth innings, with a sac-fly from Cameron Tilly to score Simington, and another sac-fly from Miguel Palma to score Ray Zuberer, making it a 5-1 game.
Jon Kennedy was tasked again with locking down the save for the Calvary, where he endured a much different performance from game one. He would get Harry Fullerton to strike out looking, but Maguire would follow that up with a double of his own. He would come around to score with the next batter Jake MacKenzie driving him home on an RBI single.
Andy Atwood then flew out to center field, and the Calvary would secure the 5-2 victory, punching their ticket to the finals.
The ABL Championship between the Canberra Calvary and the Perth Heat will begin on Thursday, Jan. 30 and could range until Feb. 2. It will be the same format as the semifinals, as it will be a best of three series, with the winner having to win two games. Fans can watch all the action unfold on Baseball+.
