Australia Final: Newcastle Ducks vs Melbourne Sting
It's an exciting time to be a Ducks fan. This is the fourth playoff appearance for the Ducks in the last five years. Each and every time, they've been knocked out in the first round, twice by the Canberra Power and swept by the Melbourne Sting last season. Is revenge on the cards?
The pitchers kept in tight in game one but it was the Sting that came through in the end via a Rex Bradnock single to edge it out.
Ducks fans were left in despair after this performance, with the Sting hitters just annihilating the Newcastle pitchers in a big 9-1 win. The series now moves to Melbourne with the Sting looking good for their second straight title.
The Ducks were able to match the Sting hit for hit but not run for run as Melbourne runs in another big win to extend their lead in the series to 3-0. Will the Ducks get swept for the second year in a row by the Sting?
The Ducks make the Sting work for it, but in the end it's another sweep. A solo home run from Zachariah Birss in the 8th ties the game up for the Ducks and forces the extra innings. Finally, it's rookie Koi-Sho Chu with the walk-off hit that gets the Sting the win and the sweep.
THE MELBOURNE STING ARE THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONS! That's their second Australian title in a row, and now they seek to defend their Russell Crowe Invitational title and become the first team to win the Trans Tasman Classic twice.
