New Zealand Final: Bay of Plenty Steamrollers vs Waikato River Bandits
These two teams are responsible for the last three titles in New Zealand but have never faced each other in a playoff series before. They split the season series 6-6, so we should be in for an interesting battle here.
A tight game for the opener, a Declan Macpherson single ties it up at the top of the 9th for the River Bandits and force extra innings. A 3-run walk-off home run from Jai Boxsell sees the Steamrollers home.
Waikato's Randolph Alport gets the player of the game award (a good pitching performance also included an RBI) but has to stomach the loss as the Steamrollers squeeze out a slight 3-2 win in game two.
The series moves to Hamilton, only a 90 minute drive from Tauranga so plenty of Steamroller fans make the journey with their team. A big 7th innings gave them plenty to cheer about while pitcher Jai Fewings kept the Waikato hitters under control for a player of the game performance.
That's a sweep folks. Two home runs are the only scoring hits in this game, Willem Hanbridge with a solo home run as he led off in the 4th for Waikato and a 3-run home run from Rex Qualtrough (also series MVP) in the 7th with 2 outs on the board to take it home for the Steamrollers.
THE BAY OF PLENTY STEAMROLLERS ARE THE NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONS!
This is their third New Zealand title in four years. Their first without the Mackay Brothers.