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Perth Heat lock up ABL playoff spot with emphatic series win over Geelong-Korea

Ben SmithComment News

PERTH Heat have secured their Australian Baseball League playoff spot after claiming a comprehensive 3-1 series win over Geelong-Korea at Perth Ballpark.

Two emphatic victories, either side of a hard-fought, low-scoring win, sealed the host’s spot in the post-season, despite a 13-10 loss in game four.

The Heat need to at least match Melbourne’s record against Auckland next weekend to assure themselves of a home semi-final.

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Perth started the series on fire, scoring six runs in each of the first two innings en route to 15-7 victory in game one.

They then had their pitchers to thank in a nail-biting shutout win in game two, as Nick Veale tossed six shutout innings and youngster Josh Rawlinson claimed his first ABL win with three scoreless innings.

The teams were deadlocked in the seventh inning before Ulrich Bojarski and Robbie Glendinning scored to seal victory.

Perth then flexed their muscles in game three as Tristan Gray hit two home-runs and finished with seven RBIs to record a 19-1 thrashing.

Glendinning and Pete Kozma scored three runs each and Carl Chester and Josh Greenham both had two RBIs as every Heat starter bar Jake Bowey finished with a multi-hit evening.

The series did end on a disappointing note however, as they fell to a high-scoring extra-innings loss which saw them fall out of top spot in the South-West Conference.

Tied at 8-8 heading into the tenth inning, Geelong-Korea added five more runs to avoid the sweep, despite two home runs from Bojarski.

The Heat travel to Canberra next week to take on the Cavalry, who need a series win to have any chance of playing in the post-season.