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2061 Preliminary Finals

Game 1 - Christchurch Cowboys vs Adelaide Venom

When asked if he was worried his team had been tired out by their 5-game Division Finals Series, Cowboys’ skipper Marcus Kent said, “Not at all. In fact, the longer the series the better. The more days Adelaide have sat out, the rustier and softer they’ll be, whereas we’re all toughened up and ready to wrestle.”

Quentin Welch got caught in a rundown between 2B and 3B in the bottom of the 1st, eventually getting tagged out by SS Sorenseon on 3B-side. The play was scored 8-5-4-6. A pair of Adelaide errors in the top of the 2nd saw runners at 1st and 2nd with 2 out, and McMullen took advantage of the opportunity, his drive down the RF line landing fair and bringing 1 runner home. He ended up at 2B while a strong return from Welch, playing in a fairly unfamiliar position, held Morrow at 3B. The next hitter popped out, the score 1-0 Christchurch.

It didn’t take long for Adelaide to equalize, Miguel Ibanez driving home Malcolm Pickhills with a 2-out single in the bottom of the inning. Greg Ahern hummed through the 1st 4, with 7 strikeouts. He did the buzzard 3 times in the 4th alone. With the crowd already hollering, Gary Young sent a fly 432 feet over LF - caught in the upper deck - to give Adelaide the advantage. 2-1 Venom.

Ibanez led off the 5th with a double but didn’t move from 2B until he had to take off his hitting gear and grab his fielding glove between innings. The Venom committed their 3rd error of the night in the bottom of the inning but this time avoided any damage.

Juhl (5.0IP, 7H, 2ER, 0BB, 3K) threw 86 pitches before coming off, having pitched only 4 days prior. Morrow tied the game up again in the 7th, leading off with a HR over left. The inning ended without more runs being scored, though Ahern (6.2IP, 4H, 2R, 1ER, 9K) took his seat with an out still to play. A 2-out single from Tomas Zartuche in the bottom of the 7th drove William Fenton home and put Adelaide back in the lead.

A trifecta of walks saw Christchurch load the bases with no outs in the 8th before Hauer sneaked a runner home via a choppy bouncer that Young charged but had no play, either at home or at 1B. Bases still drunk, score tied, zero out. Morrow struck out, and Adelaide were a double-play away from avoiding a bad situation. McMullen also struck out and Seinosuke Nakashima flied out to centre to end the half-inning. Still, the scores were now locked at 3, and Adelaide had used 4 pitchers in the inning, severely depleting them if the game went to extra time.

Aaron Fingleson took the mound in the top of the 9th, Adelaide desperately wanting a zero in the box. Matthew Utting, who’d struck out 3 times already, hit a 2-out single to centre but that was as much offense as Christchurch could muster. Whiskin came out for Christchurch. Fenton drew a 1-out walk but Ibanez ground into a 6-4-3 double-play.

Extra innings. Kelvin Pickills singled to begin the 10th and stole 2B as Hauer struck out, but could progress no further. Zartuche flared a single to right with 1 out in the bottom of the inning, and advanced to 2B on a 3-1 ground-out. Richard Moore walked to keep the inning alive, and then Young out-hustled 2B Nakashima to record an infield single. Malcolm Pickhills didn’t even look like swinging his bat, and Whiskin couldn’t find the plate, walking him on 5 and forcing the winning run home. Final score: 4-3 Adelaide, Zartuche going 3-5. The Venom managed 11 hits to Christchurch’s 7.

Game 1 - Cairns Crocs vs Central Coast Thunder

John Zglinicki struggled to pick his spots in the top of the 1st, perhaps because he hadn’t pitched for 12 days. He plunked Snell, who advanced to 2B on a ground-out, then scored off Correa’s 2-out single down the RF line. Jayden Downes didn’t show any rust, though, leading off the bottom of the inning with a 1st-pitch triple into the leftfield alley. He scored off a sac-fly to see the score levelled. With 2 outs, Tom Doig singled, stole 2B, advanced to 3B on a wild pitch, and scored off Toby Norris’s double to the left-centre wall. 2-1 Thunder.

Zglinicki was back on point in the 2nd, freezing up 2 hitters in a 1-2-3 inning. Miscommunication in the outfield in the bottom of the inning allowed Central Coast a runner aboard. The next hitter singled and Downes made it 2 hits from 2 at-bats with an RBI-single to left. 3-1 Thunder.

Snell, who’d ended the bottom of the 2nd with a U4-3 double-play, smoked his 2nd HR of the postseason in the 3rd, halving the deficit. In the 5th, Snell was again front and centre, driving Lecomte home with a 2-out single to left. An error from Zglinicki throwing to 1B extended the inning and left runners at 2nd and 3rd. Correa cashed in, his groundball finding space between 1B and 2B, and scoring both runners. 5-3 Cairns.

A pair of 2-out doubles in the bottom of the 6th saw Central Coast move to within a run of the Crocs. The Thunder had hit 4 doubles and a triple so far, whereas Cairns’ only XBH was Snell’s HR. The OotPB commentators were of the opinion that the Crocs’ outfield lacked range and were getting punished for it. Worsfold (5.2IP, 8H, 4ER, 1BB, 2K) came off in the 6th, while Zglinicki’s (6.0IP, 9H, 5R, 3ER, 0BB, 5K) night was a lot shorter than most of his had been this season.

Cairns showcased their aggressive baserunning in the 7th, pulling of a double-steal after Aitken had been walked to set up the double-play. PH Roneberg then singled to right, scoring 1. Donovan got hit and the bases were loaded with only 1 out. Foreman cracked a single to left and 2 runners scored, the former Central Coaster allowing himself a fist-pump at 1B. A double-play ended the inning, but the Crocs had jumped out to a 4-run lead.

The lead became 6 in the top of the 9th, Donovan pouncing on the 1st pitch he saw and sending it over the right-centre fences for a 2-run HR. Central Coast offered no resistance in the bottom of the inning, reliever Kent Wells picking up the save courtesy of throwing 3 innings, during which he allowed just 1 hit and struck out 3. Final score: 10-4 Cairns, in what turned out to be a thrashing.

Game 2 - Christchurch Cowboys vs Adelaide Venom

Vega walked to lead off the game, advanced to 2B on a ground-out, stole 3B and then scored on a ground-out to put Christchurch on the board in the top of the 1st. The Venom, as was their wont, didn’t need much hustle to tie things up. Zartuche, Welch and Moore all singled and viola, the score was back to level without an out being recorded. Young ground into a double-play, but the runner at 3B still scored, and now the Venom were ahead.

Christchurch had plenty of fighting qualities about them, though, and it took only 2 batters in the 2nd to see them regain the lead. Kelvin Pickhills got plunked and then Hauer launched his 4th dinger of the postseason, crushing an 0-2 fastball 433 feet over centrefield to make it 3-2. Morrow doubled off the base of the CF wall and McMullen cracked one back at the pitcher. It hit the mound and caromed off into leftfield, SS Carlos Acevedo unable to change the direction he’d been heading in to have a chance at the ball. An out later, Vega’s fly to the track at LF scored Morrow and the Cowboys finished the inning up by 2.

The score stayed the same until the bottom of the 3rd, when Moore delivered a 3-run bomb over CF to jump Adelaide back in front. Meanwhile, Arthur Hammer had found his groove, fanning 3 of the 4 hitters he faced in the 5th. Deas (4.0IP, 7H, 5ER, 2BB, 1K) had not, and left after 4, having thrown 87 pitches and allowing in 5 runs. An error by the relief pitcher gave Adelaide a chance to mount some pressure, and they succeeded, Fenton’s double driving in 2 to make the score 7-4.

Hauer, the number 3 overall draft pick of 2059, made it a 1-run game in the 6th, with his 2nd 2-run HR of the night. That signalled the end of Hammer’s outing (5.1IP, 6H, 6ER, 2BB, 7K) the 6-pitch hurler a real mixed bag. The Cowboys found themselves in trouble in the bottom of the inning, a hit batter, walk and wild pitch leaving runners on 2B and 3B with nobody out. Moore drove 1 home with a sharp single to right. Young walked and the bases were drunk. Malcolm Pickhills struck out and Norm Donaldson ground into a U6-3 double-play and Christchurch’s bench coach was caught on camera letting out a pent-in breath.

The scorers got a rest during the 7th and the 8th, both sides going out in order bar a 2-out Moore walk. Fingleson came out to throw the top of the 9th, his regular season record 47 saves from 49 attempts. McMullen ground out back to the pitcher. Sorensen walked. Vega flied out to the track at CF. Wurfel doubled down the 3B line, though McMullen didn’t risk coming home. Tying run in scoring position. Utting hit a towering fly, but it was more tower than distance and Fenton took a simple catch to end the game. Final score: 8-6 Adelaide, Christchurch keeping it close despite only 1 of their top order hitting over .200 for the postseason so far.

Zartuche had 3 hits for the 2nd game in a row, while Hauer’s 5 postseason bombs were in sharp contrast to the 14 he’d hit all regular season.

Game 2 - Cairns Crocs vs Central Coast Thunder

The score stayed at nil through 2 before Snell singled home Lecomte in the top of the 3rd to give the kids manning the old-fashioned scoreboard - added this season as a marketing ploy and kept because it worked so well - something to do. The score-kids had plenty more to do 2 batters later, Correa crushing his 5th roundtripper of the postseason and his 4th 3-run effort. 4-0 Cairns. Correa had another chance in the 4th to score some runners, but this time Ethan Humphries struck him out flailing with an excellent slider.

Meanwhile, Flemming was in fine form, perfect through 4 while striking out 3. He allowed his 1st baserunner of the night in the 5th, Doig leading off with a walk. Then Norris doubled over the head of the 3B, giving Central Coast a real chance to close the gap. Richard Humphrey singled wide of 2B and the Thunder had a run on the board. Karl Aston walked and the bases were loaded with nobody out. Flemming struck out Xavier Culaham on 3 pitches. Dermott Alcock singled to right and another run scored. Downes struck out as did Rory Budd, frozen up by a slider. 2 runs in the frame to Central Coast but it could’ve (should've?) been a lot worse.

Humphries (5.0IP, 10H, 4ER, 1BB, 3K) took a seat after 5, replaced by 15-game regular season winner Paul Colenutt. Flemming (6.0IP, 3H, 2ER, 2BB, 6K) was hooked an inning later, the game close despite Cairns’ obvious offensive superiority.

Colenutt threw 2 scoreless innings before being replaced, and Central Coast got through the top of the 8th unscathed also. Snell singled up the middle in the 9th for his 5th hit of the game and celebrated by stealing his 2nd base of the match. The hustle was rewarded when Correa doubled over the head of the CF and Snell crossed home plate without a throw.

Boston came out, defending a 3-run lead. Doig whiffed at a slider. Norris hit a fly deep to right but subbie Roneberg made a fine running catch. Humphrey ground out 5-3 and that was the ballgame! Final score: 5-2 Cairns, to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Correa was injured completing his double in the 9th, with no immediate word on how hurt he was. Snell’s 5-hit effort was the 6th of his major league career, but the 1st time he’d achieved it in the postseason. He was the 7th player ever to reach that mark in the playoffs and the 1st since the 2047 season.

Game 3 - Christchurch Cowboys vs Adelaide Venom

Adelaide announced that 28 y/o Keiran Cooper (.303/.336/.437, 61HR), who’d spent most of 2061 at triple-A but was on the playoff roster, had signed a 4-year extension. It was reportedly a decent-money deal, but it was hard to see how he’d fit into the outfield makeup of the Venom, with their current preferred outfielders either going through arbitration or signed to long-term deals.

Malcolm Pickhills jacked a solo bomb in the top of the 2nd to give Adelaide the early advantage, Christchurch fighting to keep their season alive. The score remained the same through 5, neither pitcher giving much away, though Umashankar Meenakshi had thrown 96 pitches to Rowlands’ 73. After walking a hitter in the 6th, Rowlands (5.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 2BB, 4K) got yanked and his replacement made it through the next 2 outs unscathed.

Fookes doubled to lead off the bottom of the inning but was left stranded at 2B, Meenakshi getting the next 3 outs on 8 pitches. Welch singled to lead off the 7th and Donaldson bunted him into scoring position. Fenton was walked and Adelaide had their best chance to extend the lead. An out later, light-hitting Zartuche muscled a fly over the RF wall and Adelaide went ahead 4-zip. To add insult to injury, Moore, next up, latched onto a fastball over the heart of the plate and sent it bouncing off the upper tier. 5-0 Adelaide, a series sweep now almost certainly the outcome.

Gary ‘Glass’ Young hobbled off the field after making the final out of the 7th with a sore back and didn’t return. “Only precautionary,” the Adelaide trainer assured the commentary boxes. The homerun derby continued in the 8th, Pickhills slugging his 2nd of the night with a drive down the RF line. An error in the bottom of the inning allowed Christchurch a baserunner and Adelaide’s skipper decided Meenakshi (7.1IP, 5H, 0ER, 2BB, 6K), who’d thrown 121 pitches, was done for the night. His relief, Bailey Naylor, conceded a single but then got out of the inning via a 4-6-3 double-play.

Fenton started off the 9th in similar fashion to how Pickhills began the 8th, lofting one down the RF line and into the bleachers. Angus Wang, who’d replaced Young and was fielding the unfamiliar position of 2B, errored to begin the bottom of the inning and Morrow, next up, doubled home Christchurch’s 1st run of the night. Another run scored off a sac-fly but it was a case of too little far too late. Final score: 7-2 Adelaide and the unstoppable force were off to defend their 2059 and 2060 titles.

Moore (.500/.600/1.000, 2HR) snared series’ MVP.

Game 3 - Cairns Crocs vs Central Coast Thunder

Correa wouldn’t be available for the next few days thanks to a sprained thumb, leaving a bit of a hole in the middle of the Crocs’ lineup. In other news, Central Coast announced on the morning of Game 3 that 35 y/o Justin Auger (.283/.376/.512, 399HR) had signed a 2-year extension with the club. The 2-time SotY had played his entire big-league career to-date with the Thunder, and was “excited to continue the journey” with the franchise. The 2nd year of his contract was a vesting option.

Central Coast grabbed the lead in the 2nd, Humphrey singling Norris home from 2B. They had an opportunity to push the advantage with 2 outs, with runners at 2B and 3B, but Alcock struck out to end the inning. Juan Moran needed only 20 pitches to get through the 1st 3 innings, Cairns’ aggressive approach not paying dividends.

After 5 Moran had only thrown 40 pitches, in comparison to Kline’s 75. Kline did have 5 strikeouts to Moran’s 1, however, and had only given up 2 extra baserunners (4 hits to 3, 1 walk to none). Baker fell behind in the count to lead off the 6th, but cracked his 1-2 pitch into the centre-right alley and slid in safely to 3B. Leadoff triple, Cairns with the opportunity to draw even. Lecomte lined one to right and Norris couldn’t quite reach it. RBI-double, the go-ahead run now in scoring position with 3 outs still left. Snell ground out and Aitken was walked on 4 pitches. Foreman popped out. Donovan poked a fastball opposite field, over the head of the 3B and into the corner. Aitken held up at 3B but Lecomte breezed home to give Cairns the lead. Moran threw 33 pitches in the inning, his count now looking quite similar to Kline’s.

Humphrey doubled to begin the 7th and then Karl Aston twisted one around the foul pole for a 2-run homerun to give the lead back to Central Coast. Kline walked the next hitter and his night was over. de Lange, against his old team, came to the hill and Alcock fought his way to a 9-pitch walk. Downes bunted both runners ahead, the Thunder hoping to add some insurance. Rory Budd mashed a double, his 1st hit of the series, to score both runners. Auger was intentionally walked and then a balk was called, both runners moving up. Doig struck out for his 3rd time of the night and Norris ground-out to end the inning. 5-2 Central Coast, and there was still some fight left in this series yet. Kline's figures were 6.0IP, 6H, 4ER, 2BB, 5K.

An RBI-double from Lecomte in the bottom of the inning nicked a run off the deficit. Moran (7.0IP, 8H, 3ER, 1BB, 1K) retired after 7. With 1 out, Foreman singled and Donovan doubled, putting the tying run in scoring position. Chi-seong Lee, trying to fill the large shoes of Correa, struck out but Krajancic, who’d been having a lean postseason to-date, singled up the middle and both runners scored. Tie game.

Boston allowed the 1st 2 runners aboard in the top of the 9th, then injured himself hustling across to 1B to take a throw from Aitken for the 1st out. His replacement, Drew Hayes, came in cold with an unenviable job, trying to get the final 2 outs of the inning while halting the progress of 2 runners in scoring position. He warmed up by intentionally walking Auger to set up the double-play. Doig broke his bat and Hayes pounced on the ground-ball and threw home. Out! On the throw went to 1B but too late for the double-play. Norris, who’d already smoked 2 doubles, came up and went back just as quickly, striking out on 4 pitches, Hayes just blowing his fastball by him.

Still a tie game heading into the bottom of the 9th. Central Coast sent closer Domenic Purss to the middle. ‘Crackpot’ got Baker to ground-out up the middle, Alcock showing nice range to hunt it down and throw the slow-running catcher out. Lecomte’s hard grounder was much more easily dealt with, Alcock able to attack without having to charge. Snell worked a walk and then stole 2B on a 2-1 pitch, sliding in under the tag. “Risky,” breathed the commentators. The net result was 2 more balls and Aitken was aboard. Foreman ripped one to centre. CF Downes went back, back, back to the track and closed his glove on it to end the inning and send this thing into extras.

Hayes rifled through ‘em 1-2-3 in the top of the 10th as did Purss in the bottom of the inning. The 11th also went in order before Auger broke the drought with his 1st hit of the series, a single to right, to begin the 12th. Aitken showed nice extension to complete a 6-4-3 double-play, which was just as well for the Crocs, as Norris then hit his 3rd double of the night - equalling the extra-innings playoff game record. He was left at 2B, Humphrey grounding out to short.

Snell lofted one over the head of Norris to begin the bottom of the 12th, and very nearly tried triple but thought better of it, perhaps helped by the frantic ‘retreat’ hand gestures from his 3B coach. Aitken was intentionally walked. Foreman struck out, letting out a groan towards the stars before heading back to the dugout. Snell couldn’t help himself and took off for 3B on the 1st pitch of Donovan’s at-bat. Humphrey was up and snapping a throw like lightning. But perhaps he should’ve taken a second more to set because his effort was nowhere near the glove of the third-basemen. Instead it sailed into RF and Snell sailed around 3B and home, diving in dramatically even though there was no throw. Walk-off error? However the scorers decided to note it, the scorecard would always read 6-5 Crocs. A sweep thanks to a swipe!

Beau Snell (.714/.750/1.071, 1HR) was really the only choice for series’ MVP, getting the award in consecutive series. As well as the 2 doubles and HR he hit, he also stole 4 bases, though, he admitted, “None of that means anything if we don’t win the Championship.” He had appeared in 4 postseasons, with Hobart in 2051, and Melbourne in 2056-2057, as well as with Cairns this year, for a postseason stat-line of .427/.474/.581. He'd made his major-league debut as a fresh-faced 20 y/o in 2050 and had put up the worst full season of his career in 2061, but that was long forgotten about now, both by himself and the fans clogging talkback with his praises.