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April 16 – Game 5
The Series is now a best of three thanks to the Eagles battling back to even things up. Both teams return to their Game 1 starters. RHP
Danilo Narvaez (0-0, 12.2 IP, 2.84 ERA) takes the hill for Queensland, while Pulberry counters with LHP
Bart Ohara (2-1, 24.0 IP, 3.75 ERA).
Top of the 2nd:
Yoshimi Sekozawa lines a 1-0 bullet to short centerfield that falls in for a one-out base hit. Joe Riding lines a 2-2 changeup to left centerfield. CF Matsuo Oyama dives for it but the ball pops out of his glove. Riding moves up to second while Sekozawa takes third on the error. Sean Abercrombie then sends a line drive toward short left centerfield for a base hit. Sekozawa crosses the plate while Riding sails around third and heads for home. Riding beats out the throw with a rough slide, putting the Trolleys up by two.
Pulberry 2 – Queensland 0
Bottom of the 8th:
Through seven innings, Bart Ohara has surrendered 6 hits, 3 walks and hit two batsmen, but otherwise has kept the Eagles off the board. That changes in the 8th. After getting two quick outs, Ohara surrenders a 4-pitch walk to Ryan Conisford. Next up is Robbie Leivers, who crushes Ohara’s first offering for a
two-run home run that lands 428 ft. into the left centerfield stands. That knots things up at two and ultimately sends the game into extra innings for the second time in the Series.
Pulberry 2 – Queensland 2
Top of the 10th:
RHP Kaula Mafileo comes in to start the 10th for Queensland. After Yoshimi Sekozwa flies out to rightfield, Joe Riding drives a 2-2 changeup to the gap in deep right center. CF Matsuo Oyama races over but it hits the top of the wall and bounces back in. Riding races around first and slides in safely at second for a one-out double. With two out, Hokuaonani Kaili cracks an 0-1 changeup to short centerfield for a base hit. Riding takes third then heads for home. CF Matsuo Oyama whips it back in but Riding slides in headfirst and beats out the throw to put the Trolleys back on top.
Pulberry 3 – Queensland 2
Bottom of the 10th:
In the 10th, RHP Bonie Bandong takes the mound in relief of LHP Bart Ohara. Dennis Purcell is up first and hits a 2-2 grounder out toward first base. Gerard Koerner gathers it but then boots the ball, allowing Purcell to reach safely on the error. Rod Dennis then slices one down the rightfield line and into the corner as RF Ellis Dibble tracks it down. Purcell moves up to third then heads home to tie up the game once again. Dennis rounds second and heads for third. 1B Gerard Koerner cuts off the throw and fires it to third, but Dennis slides in safely under the tag.
Ryan Conisford jumps on the first pitch and sends a high fly ball down the rightfield line. RF Ellis Dibble hauls it in. Dennis tags up at third with the throw coming home. Dennis slides and beats out the throw to end the game. The Eagles sneak past the Trolleys for their third straight win and now take the lead in the United Cup as the Series heads back to Pulberry.
FINAL: Pulberry 3 – Queensland 4
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April 18 – Game 6
The United Cup returns to Pulberry with the Trolleys in a very different situation compared to when they last played at Trolleys Stadium back in Game 2. Instead of being up two games, they are now down 3 games to 2 and needing to win the next two games to defend their title. Meanwhile, Queensland is just one win away from claiming their second championship. With so much on the line, Pulberry looks to their No. 3 starter, LHP
Robin Medellin (0-0, 14.0 IP, 3.21 ERA), to right the ship. Queensland counters with their ace, RHP
Logan Belsey (1-1, 32.2 IP, 4.41 ERA), hoping to seal the deal.
Bottom of the 1st:
The Trolleys get on the board first when Francis Jones crushes Belsey’s 91-mph fastball to deep centerfield. CF Matsuo Oyama just turns and watches it sail over his head 453 ft. into the bleachers for a lead-off
solo home run.
Queensland 0 – Pulberry 1
Top of the 3rd:
Logan Belsey helps his cause when he belts a 1-2 circle changeup into deep centerfield. CF Joe Riding races back for it but it’s just beyond his outstretched glove. Belsey races around first and slides safely into second for a one-out double. Hal Dhu drives the very next pitch into shallow centerfield for a base hit as Belsey moves up to third. With the corners playing in, Apia Yarrah skies the first pitch he sees toward deep rightfield. RF Ellis Dibble tracks it down at the warning track and hurries the throw in. But Belsey tags up at third and beats the tag, tying up the game.
Queensland 1 – Pulberry 1
Bottom of the 3rd:
Robin Medellin, in turn, helps his cause when he smacks the very first pitch hard into shallow rightfield for a lead-off base hit, then moves up to second when Francis Jones grounds out to 3B Apia Yarrah. With two out, Aidan Thirkettle punches a 90-mph slider up the middle in left centerfield for a base hit. Medellin takes third then charges for home. CF Matsuo Oyama fires it home but Medellin slides in safely for the go-ahead run.
Queensland 1 – Pulberry 2
Top of the 7th:
Robin Medellin induces two quick infield pop-ups before Hal Dhu sends a soft fly ball into short left center for a base hit. One pitch later, Dhu gets a great jump and steals second. Apia Yarrah then draws a free pass, Medellin’s fourth of the game. Dennis Purcell then jumps on a 2-2 fastball, slicing it down the line into leftfield. LF Aidan Thirkettle runs it down but not before it bounces into the corner. Dhu scores easily to tie the game. Yarrah reaches third then breaks for home as well. 3B Gerard Koerner relays it home but Yarrah beats out the tag as the Eagles pull out in front.
Queensland 3 – Pulberry 2
Bottom of the 8th:
Aidan Thirkettle leads off and drives the first pitch he sees into shallow centerfield for a base hit. Ellis Dibble then smacks a 92-mph fastball up the middle into right centerfield as Thirkettle rounds second and slides safely into third, putting runners on the corners. After Yoshimi Sekozawa strikes out, Joe Riding lofts an 0-1 changeup out to deep rightfield. RF Hal Dhu lunges for it but it’s just out his reach as the ball skips to the wall. Thirkettle and Dibble come home as Riding slides safely into third for a two-run triple.
Sean Abercrombie then comes through with a little fly ball that falls in safely in short left center, scoring Riding.
Hokuaonani Kaili then drives a 2-2 fastball out to deep leftfield. LF Rod Dennis chases after it but it sails 413 ft. into the stands for a
two-run home run, giving the Trolleys a commanding lead.
Queensland 3 – Pulberry 7
Top of the 9th:
PH John Rose leads off for the Eagles and he pummels a 1-1 fastball from RHP Quintiliano Galeo down the rightfield line. RF Ellis Dibble makes the long run back, but it lands 372 ft. into the bleachers for a
solo home run.
But Galeo settles down, getting Hal Dhu to fly out to short left center, Apia Yarrah to ground out to 3B Francis Jones and Dennis Purcell to fly out to CF Joe Riding in deep centerfield to end the game. The Trolleys even up the Series, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7.
FINAL: Queensland 4 – Pulberry 7
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April 19 – Game 7
For the eighth time in ULB history, the United Cup needs a Game 7 to determine a champion. Thus far in the Series, the home team has won every game. Pulberry is determined to continue that trend just one more time, while Queensland is looking to buck it. The starters of Game 3 square off once again in this final matchup. Queensland goes with their other ace, RHP
Stiofan Micklethwait (2-1, 26.0 IP, 2.77 ERA), while Pulberry counters with their No. 2 starter, RHP
Taylor Folkard (1-2, 19.0 IP, 5.21 ERA).
Bottom of the 2nd:
The Trolleys strike first when Yoshimi Sekozawa slices one out to deep right center. RF Hal Dhu reaches up for it but can’t snare it as it caroms off the wall. Sekozawa rounds first and slides into second safely for a lead-off double. Micklethwait then walks Joe Riding. Sean Abercrombie then lofts a 1-1 fastball down the line toward deep rightfield. Hal Dhu races back and brings it down, but Sekozawa tags up and advances to third without a throw. Hokuaonani Kaili sends a 1-2 fly ball out toward deep centerfield. CF Matsuo Oyama runs back and hauls it in. Sekozawa tags up at third and despite a strong throw from Oyama, slides in safely to open the scoring.
Queensland 0 – Pulberry 1
Top of the 8th:
Taylor Folkard keeps the Eagles off the board through seven innings, giving up just 5 hits, 2 walks and one hit batsmen. But Queensland finally breaks through in the 8th. Dennis Purcell hits a 2-1 slider crisply into centerfield for a lead-off base hit. Rod Dennis follows and lofts one into shallow leftfield for a base hit as Purcell takes second. After PH John Rose strikes out, manager Ryo Ichikawa elects to bring in ace LHP Bart Ohara on three day’s rest, as he has a knack for inducing ground balls. But Robbie Leivers lofts one out toward deep rightfield. RF Ellis Dibble makes a nice running catch for the second out as Purcell moves up to third without a throw. Matsuo Oyama then sends a hard shot toward short left center for a base hit. Purcell comes in to tie up the game.
Queensland 1 – Pulberry 1
Top of the 9th:
RHP Quintiliano Galeo comes in to start the 9th but gives up back-back-singles to Stiofan Micklethwait and Hal Dhu. After Apia Yarrah grounds out to 1B Gerard Koerner to advance the runners, Dennis Purcell is issued a free pass to load the bases with one out. But Rod Dennis flares one out to short centerfield. Joe Riding rushes in and gloves it to hold the runners. John Rose then grounds out to 1B Gerard Koerner to retire the side and snuff out the threat.
Queensland 1 – Pulberry 1
Bottom of the 9th:
Gerard Koerner pounds a 1-1 slider back up the middle and into centerfield for a lead-off base hit. Aidan Thirkettle hits a grounder to the right side. 1B John Rose dives and knocks it down. The ball rolls away but he recovers it and throws to Micklethwait covering first. But the relay is low and Micklethwait can’t handle it. Koerner and Thirkettle advance to third and second respectively on the error. With first base open, Ellis Dibble is given a free pass to load the bases with nobody out. Yoshimi Sekozawa then swings at a 2-1 fastball, sending a line drive to leftfield. LF Rod Dennis reaches up and makes the catch. Koerner tags up at third and races for home. Dennis fires it home, but it’s not in time, as Koerner slides in safely for the winning run. The Pulberry Trolleys win it all in walk-off fashion for the third time in the Series and become to the first team in United Leagues’ history to win three consecutive United Cups!
FINAL: Queensland 1 – Pulberry 2
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