Northern Metros claim gold in Adelaide, book spot in Junior League World Series
Perth Metro North (Northern Metros) completed a perfect week in Adelaide to punch their ticket to August’s Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Michigan.
The Metros toppled Southern Mariners 8-7 in extra innings in Friday night’s gold medal game to finish the 2019 Australian Junior League Championship with a 6-0 record.
Joshua Davies’ RBI-single in the bottom of the ninth lifted Northern to a thrilling victory.
The single was Davies’ fifth hit of the night.
Jack Angell’s run scoring double in the bottom of the seventh forced extra innings after Tom Brookes stole home in the top half of the inning to give the Mariners a one-run buffer.
Earlier, the teams traded first-inning runs before Southern broke the deadlock with three runs in the top of the second.
Wesley Ka’s sacrifice fly pushed their lead out to 5-2.
Northern added runs in the bottom of the second and third to pull within a run.
Metros threatened in the fourth and had runners on the corners when left fielder Dylan Hind made a nice running play to end the inning.
The Mariners added an insurance run in the fifth but Northern were not done.
Jacob Santich’s RBI-double capped off a two-run sixth to draw the Metros level before the teams again traded blows in the seventh to head into extra innings.
The Metros are the second Western Australian charter to be crowned Australian Junior League champions.
They will become the first WA team to represent Australia Region at the Junior League World Series in Michigan.
Earlier on day six, Adelaide Rays claimed bronze over Eastern Athletics.
Original story shared from Australian Little League Baseball website.