Perth Heat win Australian baseball title

The Perth Heat have beaten Adelaide 12-5 to win the Australian Baseball League championship series, their fourth title in five years.

For the fourth time in five seasons, Perth Heat reigned supreme atop the pedestal of the Australian Baseball League, defeating Adelaide 12-5 to win the championship series 2-1.

Perth claimed the Claxton Shield for a second consecutive season, and have now won four titles in the five-year existence of the new ABL.

The victory also came one night after Perth levelled the championship series with a tenth-inning win.

"We're a bunch of fighters," Tim Kennelly said.

"We've done that for years, so it was good to bounce back with that win."

Perth scored early and often in the match, beginning from inning one, when Tim Kennelly, who went 2-6 with three RBI, lashed a two-run home run to left field to put the Heat ahead 2-0 before the Bite could record an out.

Perth pulled away further in the next frame, putting up a four-spot on RBI doubles from Brian Pointer and Tim Kennelly, and a two-run home run off the bat of Tim Smith.

Despite trailing early, the Bite still showed sharp teeth as the contest wore on, clawing back for three runs in the bottom of the fourth frame.

But Perth kept pouncing ahead, preceding Adelaide's three-run fourth with a three-run half-inning of its own, led by a two-run single by series MVP Allan de San Miguel, and another trifecta of runs crossed the plate in the top of the seventh inning.

"It's a pretty special moment for my career out here in Australia," said veteran catcher de San Miguel.

"It's been a hell of a year. We've had our ups and downs and adversity, and to come through with that clutch hit last night and win tonight, it's a special moment."

Adelaide added another run in the bottom of the eighth inning, on a solo shot off the bat of Mitch Dening, who finished the game 4-for-4 with a double, a pair of home runs and three RBIs.

"Perth got the job done tonight," Adelaide manager Brooke Knight said.

"It's a shame to end on that note but take no credit away from our guys.

"They've fought and fought this season and their character as a group is undeniable."


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Source: AAP


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