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2044 Division Finals

Game 1 - Cairns Crocs vs Adelaide Venom

The Crocs got on the board 1st, scoring 2 in the 1st and 2nd, before Adelaide evened the score in the 5th. In the 7th, though, Cairns busted out with 4 runs, including a Colson 3-run HR, to put the game out of Adelaide’s reach. The final score was 7-2 Cairns. Ted Murray (8.0IP, 4H, 2ER, 3BB, 3K) got the win, while Adelaide’s Pancho Aguilera (6.1IP, 7H, 6R, 5ER, 2BB, 3K) took the loss. Bernie Grinter homered for Adelaide, while Terence McLaren also went deep for Cairns.

Game 1 - Hobart Prospects vs Auckland Metros

Game 1 of this series was the Bob Goldsmith show. The strapping young 1B became only the 3rd player in AUNZBL history, and the 1st since 2030, to hit 3HRs in a game. Goldsmith went deep in the 5th, 7th, and 8th innings, driving in 5. He also scored 4 times. Michael Fenton also homered, as did Lee, in the rout. Final score: 14-1 Hobart. Cooper Gerlach’s (8.0IP, 5H, 1R, 0ER, 3BB, 6K) fine outing was overshadowed by Goldsmith, and Blenkhorn (4.2IP, 7H, 6R, 5ER, 2BB, 3K) was knocked out of the game early.

Game 2 - Cairns Crocs vs Adelaide Venom

Colson’s 2nd HR of the series kicked off the scoring in the 1st, but the game was locked at 3 after 3, thanks to a 2-run Alfredo Carrillo shot. It remained that score until the 8th when Cairns bullied in 2 runs and while Adelaide’s Axel Wakefield hit a solo HR in the bottom of the inning, Cairns would hold on to win 5-4. Teddy Barry (7.0IP, 6H, 3ER, 2BB, 6K) got the W, while 4 pitchers combined to throw the last 2 innings. Ramon Dieguez (7.0IP, 7H, 3ER, 2BB, 4K) had a decent outing, and avoided getting tagged with the loss. Every starting Crocs batter got a hit.

Game 2 - Hobart Prospects vs Auckland Metros

Hobart hit 5HRs in this game in contrast to the Metros’ 1, but found themselves 1-run short in the final accounting. After 5, the Metros led 9-4, and while the Prospects chipped away every inning, Auckland did enough to finish 11-10 winners. Lee hit 2 solo shots, and Adrian Bonaddio, Tierney and Goodwin also all homered. Wayne Carson’s 2-run shot in the 7th proved to be the winning hit. Auckland wore Jing-zhong Ling (3.2IP, 8H, 5ER, 2BB, 2K) down and he exited the game early, and while Richard Avery (5.2IP, 9H, 7ER, 2BB, 2K) didn’t have a great night either, he did enough for the win. Wayne Carson set an AUNZBL playoff record by scoring 5 runs. He was 4-5, with 4RBI.

Off Day

Auckland announced 26 y/o Matt Panther (.302/.393/.494, 63HR) had signed a 5-year extension. Panther had 3 years and 103 days of ML service time, and was looking forward to spending a great deal more time on the team who had taken a chance on him as a baseball refugee.

Game 3 - Cairns Crocs vs Adelaide Venom

Faced with the prospect of sweeping the series in front of their home crowd, the Crocs had an ace up their sleeve: Takashi the Tremendous. And while he had his struggles (6.0IP, 10H, 4R, 3ER, 1BB, 4K) the Crocs were in a tenacious mood. In the bottom of the 6th, down 4-2, they took advantage of a throwing error in the outfield to score a runner, then added 3 more by virtue of a Connor Rowling HR (the fans even cheered a little bit as he rounded the bases) to make it 6-4 Cairns. There was no more scoring in the match, and as soon as the final out was recorded the entire Cairns squad plus management gathered on the mound for rapturous celebrations. Eddie Chambers (5.1IP, 3H, 4ER, 3BB, 4K) left with the lead, but reliever Jose Gonzalez blew the held opportunity and took the loss.

Game 3 - Hobart Prospects vs Auckland Metros

Hobart might’ve used up all their offense in the 1st 2 games, because they could only manage 9 baserunners this game, and no extra-base hits. Auckland only had 2 more, but they converted their opportunities, and Bill Makepeace’s and Jon Werner’s HRs also helped things. 5-1 Auckland, with Stephen Snell (6.0IP, 6H, 1ER, 2BB, 6K) getting the win, and Bodkin (7.0IP, 6H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 6K) the loss.

Game 4 - Hobart Prospects vs Auckland Metros

Hobart took the lead in the bottom of the 1st and never relinquished it, the Metros taking until the 8th inning to score via a 3-run Werner HR. While no Prospects’ player went deep, Lee set a postseason game record for triples, hitting 2. The Prospects won 7-4, though both Ming and Goldsmith left the game with injuries. At the aftermatch presser, Prospects’ manager Sterling Anglesey was quick to allay serious injury fears, saying both players would be listed day-to-day for the next week or so. Blenkhorn (6.2IP, 6H, 6ER, 2BB, 3K) got tagged with his 2nd loss of the series, while Gerlach (6.1IP, 5H, 0ER, 1BB, 6K) got his 2nd win.

Game 5 - Hobart Prospects vs Auckland Metros

The Prospects started off the series strong, but it was Auckland who finished the strongest in front of a near 50K home crowd. Werner’s 3rd HR of the series, a 3-run effort in the 5th, made the score 7-1, and there was to be no comeback for Hobart as Auckland eventually ran out 8-2 winners. Lee hit his 4th HR of the series for Hobart, while Wally Stapleton also went deep for the Metros. Avery (8.0IP, 9H, 2ER, 1BB, 4K) picked up his 2nd win of the series, while Ling (4.0IP, 10H, 7R, 5ER, 0BB, 2K) was pulled after only throwing 69 pitches.

Series Awards

Crocs vs Venom

Hurler of the Series: Ted Murray.

Slugger of the Series: Lindsay Colson (.600/.692/.1.400, 2HR).

Prospects vs Metros

Hurler of the Series: Cooper Gerlach. 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 10H & 4BB in 14.1 IP, 12K.

Slugger of the Series: Young-tae Lee (.455/.478/.1.182, 4HR).

The Prospects-Metros series’ awards marked the 1st time in AUNZBL history that both awards had gone to players on the losing team.