Eastern League Pennant Series
Game 5
Queensland 4 – Wellington 3
Wellington and Queensland engaged in another close battle, with the Eagles ultimately prevailing in extra innings.
Eagles 2B Jilineko Balignasay led off the bottom of the 1st with a triple and scored on a ground out to get Queensland on the board.
Eagles RF Ben Watson then made it 2-0 with a lead off solo shot off of Wellington SP Júlio Perara in the bottom of the 5th.
But the Athletics tied it up in the 6th, as CF Bob Boynton hit a two-run triple.
Queensland retook the lead in the bottom half, as back-to-back singles by 3B Nam-cheol Oh and C Oscar Clapp allowed 1B Quentin Puddy to score.
Wellington knotted things up again in the 8th. After 2B Ryley McLarnon singled and Bob Boynton doubled, 1B Byron Tope followed with a single, allowing McLarnon to score.
Queensland had a chance to win in the bottom of the 9th as they loaded the bases with one out. But Perara struck out OF Sadatake Mizuno and induced a ground out from Quentin Puddy to end the threat.
But the Eagles would prevail in the 10th. After Oscar Clapp hit a one-out double and reached third on a ground out, SP Max MacColl singled him home and earned the win.
Max MacColl (10.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 2.70 ERA) picked up Player of the Game honours for his efforts. Bob Boynton had a big day for Wellington, going 2-4 with a double, triple, 2 RBI and 1 BB.
Game 6
Wellington 7 – Queensland 6
At first, it looked as though the Eagles were going to force a game 7, but the Athletics stormed back late in the game to take the series 4 games to 2 and win the Eastern League pennant.
A couple of singles followed by a couple of groundouts got Queensland on the board in the 4th inning. One inning later, they broke it open.
Singles by RF Ben Watson and SP Julius Hunt to lead off the inning put runners on the corners. SS In-sin Moon then walked to load the bases. After 1B Quentin Puddy grounded out allowing Watson to score, the Athletics intentionally walked LF Terry Aspden to reload the bags. That proved costly, as 3B Nam-cheol Oh doubled in three runs and came home to score on RF Eddie Amies single. The Eagles led 6-0 after 5 innings.
But that was the Athletics cue for their comeback. After scratching out a run each in the 6th and 7th innings, Wellington scored 5 in the 8th.
Singles by 2B Ryley McLarnon and C Dylan Watkins to lead off the inning was followed by a LF Quentin Stubber`s double, bringing in McLarnon. CF Bob Boynton then took the first offering from SP Julius Hunt and deposited it into the left center seats for a 3-run homer that tied the game. After 1B Byron Tope singled, PR Onel Arcusa advanced to third on a sac bunt and ground out. SS Gabriel Fairless then singled him home for the winning run.
The game ended when Eagles 1B Quentin Puddy doubled with two out in the 9th, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple.
Bob Boynton earned Player of the Game honours, going 1 for 3 with a home run, 1 R, 3 RBI and 1BB.
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Western League Pennant Series
Game 5
Sherburn 6 – Kingston 4
After dropping the last three games, Sherburn got back in the win column with a 6-4 victory.
Back to back doubles by SS Okura Ito and 1B Fergus Chitty got Kingston on the board in the top of the 3rd.
Sherburn responded in the bottom half of the inning as doubles by SS Gary Watkinson and LF Robin Harney and a single by C Joe Gault scored two.
The Tigers added two more runs in the 4th. RF William Neal led off with a single, stole second and reached third on a CF Joshua Chown single. Watkinson and Harney then doubled and singled respectively making the score 4-1.
But Kingston responded in the 7th as SP Yasushi Kobayashi got into a bit of trouble. Kobayashi loaded the bases after giving up a leadoff single, a walk and hit a batter.
Fergus Chitty then walked on four straight pitches, bringing in a run. A single by LF Jayden Tennant then brought in two more runs to tie the game at 4-4.
But Sherburn took the lead for good in the 8th, when the Tigers loaded the bases with one out. Watkinson then singled in SP Kobayashi and 2B Roy Abe to make it 6-4 Tigers.
Kingston’s Okura Ito was injured on a throwing play. He suffered back stiffness and is day-to-day.
SP Yasushi Kobayashi (9.0 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 4.00 ERA) won Player of the Game honours, although SS Gary Watkinson also stood out, going 3 for 5, with a double and 3 RBI. CF Josh Chown went 3 for 4, with a double and 2 R for the Tigers.
Game 6
Kingston 13 – Sherburn 4
The Kingston Pelicans clinched the Western League pennant with a convincing come from behind win over the Sherburn Tigers, taking the series, 4 games to 2.
After exchanging runs in the 1st inning, the Tigers took a 3-run lead in the 3rd.
RF William Neal led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a sac bunt.
After 2B Roy Abe walked, C Joe Gault singled in Neal. A double by SS Gary Watkinson and single by 1B Jeaic Risbrough drove in two more runs to make it 4-1 Sherburn.
But it would be all Kingston from then on.
1B Fergus Chitty led off the 4th inning with a walk and advanced to third on a LF Jayden Tennant double. 2B Mo Symes would be hit by a pitch to load the bases. A walk, fly out and error would drive in two runs. After CF Shoshu Shimizu walked to reload the bases, RF Chong-sik Lee tripled in 3 more runs. Shimizu scored himself on a passed ball during Fergus Chitty`s at bat. Chitty then walked for the second time in the inning, and scored on Tennant`s second double. That made it 9-4 Pelicans after 4 innings.
Kington would add a run in the 7th and put things away in the 8th, when Fergus Chitty hit a 3-run homer off of RP Simon Darling.
RF Chong-sik Lee would win Player of the Game honours, going 4 for 4, with 3 singles, 1 triple, 2 R, 4 RBI and 1 BB.
