2011 Australian Baseball League postseason

2011
Australian Baseball League
postseason

Postseason details
Teams qualified	4
Dates	27 January – 13 February 2011
Games played	10
Attendance	18,167  (1,817 per game)
Championship series
Champions	Perth Heat
Defeated (game score)	Adelaide Bite (2–1)
Venue	Baseball Park, Perth
Series MVP	Benjamin Moore (PER)
Preliminary final series
Won by	Adelaide Bite
Defeated (game score)	Sydney Blue Sox (2–1)
Venue	Blacktown Olympic Park, Sydney
Major semi-final series
Won by	Perth Heat
Defeated (game score)	Sydney Blue Sox (2–0)
Venue	Blacktown Olympic Park, Sydney
Minor semi-final series
Won by	Adelaide Bite
Defeated (game score)	Melbourne Aces (2–0)
Venue	Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
2012 →

The 2011 Australian Baseball League postseason, known as the 2011 Delta Air Lines ABL Postseason due to naming rights sponsorship from Delta Air Lines,^[1] was held from 27 January to 13 February 2011. The postseason was contested by four of the six teams participating in the regular season, with the teams with the best winning percentages qualifying.

In the semi-finals, the Melbourne Aces were the first team eliminated, defeated by the Adelaide Bite two games to nil in Adelaide in the minor semi-final series. The Perth Heat became the first team to qualify for the championship series, by sweeping the Sydney Blue Sox two games to nil in the major semi-final series, held in Sydney. The Blue Sox were then eliminated by the Bite in the preliminary final series, losing the series two games to one. The Heat became the inaugural ABL champions when they defeated Adelaide two games to nil in the championship series.

Format

At the conclusion of the regular season, the postseason involved the teams in a three-round structure. Each round consisted of a best-of-three game series between the respective teams. The first- and second-place teams played each other in the major semi-final, the winner of which proceeded directly to the grand final and the loser to the preliminary final. The winner of the minor semi-final between the third- and fourth-place teams also qualified for the preliminary final, while the loser was eliminated. Likewise, the winner of the preliminary final qualified for the championship series, the loser being eliminated.^[2]

As in the finals series of previous Claxton Shield tournaments, though each series was hosted by a single team, the role of home team and away team alternated from game to game. For the second game in each series, the visiting team took the role of home team, fielding first, batting second, and wore their away uniform for the game.^[3][4][5][6]

Bracket

Qualification

The Perth Heat and Sydney Blue Sox both clinched positions in the top four of the league at the same time: when Perth defeated the Melbourne Aces in the final game of their series at the Melbourne Showgrounds. The Adelaide Bite were the next team to secure a position in the finals, after winning the third of an expanded six-game series against the Brisbane Bandits at Coopers Stadium in Adelaide. Like Sydney, Melbourne secured fourth position through a result that did not involve them: Brisbane's loss in their final game against Adelaide eliminated them from contention for the finals, and since the Canberra Cavalry had already been eliminated by Melbourne's win in its second-last game, Melbourne qualified.

Major semi-final series

The Sydney Blue Sox hosted the Perth Heat in the major semi-final series at Blacktown Olympic Park. The Blue Sox and Heat split their season series 4–4. This included back-to-back sweeps for each team, with Perth winning the second of the two series, played in Sydney.^[7]

Game 1

Game 2

Minor semi-final series

The Adelaide Bite hosted the Melbourne Aces in the minor semi-final series at Coopers Stadium. The Bite won their season series against the Aces 7–1. Adelaide swept Melbourne 4–0 in the season opening series in Adelaide.^[7]

Game 1

Game 2

Preliminary final series

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Championship series

The 2011 ABL championship series logo.

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Broadcasting

On 25 January 2011, it was announced that Fox Sports would broadcast live coverage of the championship series.^[1] Warren Smith provided the play-by-play commentary, and was joined by Jon Deeble, manager of the Australia national baseball team, for colour commentary.^[8]

References