By Tony Smith
Casley’s two-run shot was the turning point of the 5-2 win over defending champions Auckland United that delivered the Dodgers their second New Zealand open title in three years.
His Black Sox buddies, Nik Hayes and Tyson Byrne, also played starring roles. Hayes held United to six hits, snared seven strikeouts and helped Byrne – who had two safe hits – turn a snappy double play in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Tournament MVP Casley played down his contribution – a big blast over the right-field fence with Byrne on base to turn a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 lead – and said he was “just so happy” for the rest of the Dodgers squad.
“It’s a pretty special feeling, really. We had a lot of young guys who had never been in a final, let alone a club nationals final.”
The Dodgers trailed Waitakere Bears, 1-0, in yesterday morning’s semifinal when retiring Black Sox catcher Patrick Shannon scored the Aucklanders’ only run on two wild pitches after swatting an infield single in the first inning.
The Hutt Valley men left their rally to the bottom of the seventh before grabbing a 2-1 win after RBIs (runs batted in) by E J Albright and former Southlander Mike Telfer.
Hayes took 10 strikeouts.
United raced out to a 2-0 lead in the final after Ben Enoka and Kallan Compain scored in the second inning.
Young United pitcher Bailey Hoani held the Dodgers at bay till the fifth inning when a double-steal call by Dodgers coach Brad Baker advanced Campbell Ngarimu to third base and Byrne to second. Ngarimu nabbed their first run on Joel Evans’ sacrifice fly and Byrne crossed on the Casley homer. Geoff Packer drove in two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Teenage pitcher Brad Worsley, 18, hurled the Dodgers to a 6-0 shutout victory over Canterbury champions PCU Devils on Saturday night.
The teenager gave up just two hits and struck out 13 batters.