The Eagles aren't going down without a fight, hungry to taste VSBL Division 1 premiership glory for the first time in over thirty years.
Reigning premiers Blackburn won the first game on Tuesday night 9-1, but Sunshine battled back on Saturday with a 4-1 victory to bring the series to a third game, scheduled for 2:00 PM on Sunday afternoon at Melbourne Ballpark.
The Orioles put Blake Hodgson on the mound to start while the Eagles chose Jeremy Young as their starting pitcher. After outhitting Sunshine 16-4 in game one, the second game saw a reversal of those stats with Blackburn managing just six compared to the Eagles' 13 hits.
Jordan Young led off with a single to left field, but Ryan Berg gunned him down trying to steal second for the first out of the game. Sunshine's offense kept it going with Nikau Pouaka-Grego's first of three hits on the day, singling to cente field to give the Eagles another base runner. Hodgson worked hard, getting a fly out and a ground ball to end the top of the first.
Blackburn jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning, although Young had a picture-perfect first pitch of the game with a first-pitch out. A wild throw allowed Ben Leslie to reach second on a ground ball, and he came around to score a batter later as Jacob Evans produced an RBI single. A strikeout ended the inning and sent Blackburn to the top of the second with a narrow one-run lead that wouldn't last.
Hodgson had a better second inning, recording a strikeout, a pop up and a fly out kept things quick. Young had a three-up, three-down second as well. The top of the third was quick for Hodgson too, giving Blackburn the chance to get back up to bat, with Nick Rossell singling to start the inning and a sacrifice bunt from Liam Hopkins moving him over. Rossell went to third on a groundout, with Young getting Luke Hughes to ground out for the end of the third.
Pouaka-Grego's second hit of the game started the fourth inning, moving around on a bunt from Bryce Aldridge. Rory Meddick singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Allister Lovelock executed a perfect safety squeeze to tie the score, although a groundball to Adam Irons wrapped up the inning.
Young kept Blackburn from scoring in the bottom frame with a strikeout and two flyouts. The top of the fifth saw Russell Letts, Josh Byrne and Jordan Young all singling with one out as Pouaka-Grego was patient at the plate, working a full count walk to put the Eagles up by one. Aldridge was up next, singling to left to end Hodgson's outing on the mound.
Rowan Johnstone came in to pitch, getting a double play on the first pitch to end the inning. Charlie Collins grounded out but Tom Kerr-Chapman singled up the middle in the bottom of the fifth, although another fly out and a ground out squashed Blackburn's chances of responding in the frame.
Irons singled in the top of the sixth but shortstop Cooper Goodman made two quick outs to end the threat. A strikeout and a fly out started the bottom of the sixth for Blackburn but Evans and Berg managed back-to-back walks with two outs to start something, although a fly ball kept the Orioles from adding to their score.
The top of the seventh saw a groundout from Josh Byrne and a single from Young. Pouaka-Grego got on base for the fourth time with his second walks of the game, although Johnstone got out of the jam with two groundballs. Young was still in tip-top shape in the seventh as he quickly retired the bottom of the order.
Blackburn brought Sam Bucello into the game in the 8th inning and Lovelock wasted no time, smashing a ground rule double and moving over on Irons' sacrifice bunt. Bucello struck out the next two to get out of the inning with no runs given up.
Liam Hopkins led off the bottom of the eighth with an infield single, but a double play took him off base and the next groundout meant Sunshine needed just three outs to secure the deciding game on Sunday.
In the top of the ninth Pouaka-Grego collected his third hit for a perfect day at the plate, while Aldridge singled to put something together. Meddick was hit by pitch and Lovelock made hard contact on a ground ball, which wasn't fielded cleanly to score an insurance run for Sunshine. Hopkins got the next one to keep the score at 4-1.
Looking to complete the game, Young recorded two outs in the bottom of the ninth before Cooper Goodman singled to extend the Orioles' chances. Collins singled and Dave Dicker came in to replace Kerr-Chapman, but he was retired to end the game.
Both sides will look to battle hard on Sunday afternoon in game three, with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM.
Watch the livestream HERE.
The top of the seventh saw a groundout from Josh Byrne and a single from Young. Pouaka-Grego got on base for the fourth time with his second walks of the game, although Johnstone got out of the jam with two groundballs. Young was still in tip-top shape in the seventh as he quickly retired the bottom of the order.
Blackburn brought Sam Bucello into the game in the 8th inning and Lovelock wasted no time, smashing a ground rule double and moving over on Irons' sacrifice bunt. Bucello struck out the next two to get out of the inning with no runs given up.
Liam Hopkins led off the bottom of the eighth with an infield single, but a double play took him off base and the next groundout meant Sunshine needed just three outs to secure the deciding game on Sunday.
In the top of the ninth Pouaka-Grego collected his third hit for a perfect day at the plate, while Aldridge singled to put something together. Meddick was hit by pitch and Lovelock made hard contact on a ground ball, which wasn't fielded cleanly to score an insurance run for Sunshine. Hopkins got the next one to keep the score at 4-1.
Looking to complete the game, Young recorded two outs in the bottom of the ninth before Cooper Goodman singled to extend the Orioles' chances. Collins singled and Dave Dicker came in to replace Kerr-Chapman, but he was retired to end the game.
Both sides will look to battle hard on Sunday afternoon in game three, with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM.
Watch the livestream HERE.