Aussies do it again with 2ND dramatic win in as many days.

The Australian Baseball Team continues to make headlines at the 2007 World Cup in Taipei, this time with an unbelievable 11^th inning victory over Venezuela, courtesy of mammoth 3-Run home-run from second baseman Luke Hughes.

In a scrappy extra-innings contest, Hughes’ blast (a missile to left field that cleared the stadium) was the dramatic end to a game with enough momentum shifts to give fans for both sides heart failure.

Hughes, who came into the game as a replacement in the 7^th inning, was ecstatic with the result after the wining shot.

“I was guessing fastball and when he threw it, I just tried to put a good swing on it,” Hughes said in a post game press conference.

“I knew it (the ball) was gone as soon as I hit it…it was probably the biggest home run I have hit in my life, it felt awesome.”

The young West Australian’s heroics were the fairytale ending to a nightmare start that had the Aussies chasing four runs after the top of the 2^nd inning.

Australian starting pitcher Josh Hill struggled with control of his fastball all day, and when he loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter – Venezuelan Liumbiemithz Rodriguez’s triple to right field quickly put Australia on the wrong side of a three run deficit.

The lead was immediately padded out to four, when a single to centerfield off the bat of Lino Connell scored Rodriguez and ended the day for Hill.

However with Hill’s departure the real story of Friday’s game came to life, as no less than six Australian relief pitchers combined out of the bullpen to shut down the pesky Venezuelan offence the rest of the way.

205cm right hander Dushan Ruzic, making his debut appearance for Australia, was brilliant in relief - allowing just one hit in his 3.1 innings of work while striking out two.

The eccentric giant from the Northern Territory was inspirational at a point when Australia needed it most, and by the time he left the game in the top of the 8^th inning, the Aussie hitters had managed to claw their way back, tying the game 4-4.

The final innings were incredibly hard fought, as both sides threatened to break open the game on several occasions.

The Australians in particular were on the precipice in each of the last four frames - as their Latin counterparts repeatedly had the go-ahead run in scoring position.

But the relief corps continued to come up huge under the most trying of circumstances – four times striking out Venezuelan hitters to end the 8^th, 9^th 10^th and 11^th innings respectively.

On offence it was a truly team effort, as eight different Aussie sluggers hit safely – pounding out six Doubles and two Home Runs in their 13 hit onslaught.

Lead-off catalyst Trent Oeltjen (NSW) had three base hits for the third game in a row, and South Australian Tom Brice opened his World Cup account with a 4^th inning RBI single to go along with his 6^th inning solo Home Run that landed half way up the grandstand at Taipei’s Shinchuan Stadium.

But the true fireworks were saved for the bottom of the 11^th inning, a marathon 4 hours and 12 min after the game commenced.

First Baseman Brett Roneberg started the rally with a double off the centerfield wall (his second of the game) before advancing to 3^rd on Brice’s sacrifice bunt.

With one out and the wining run 90 feet from home plate, Venezuelan Head Coach Henry Campos instructed his troops to issue an intentional walk to left-handed hitting catcher, Mathew Kent, preferring to take their chances with second baseman Hughes.

But the gamble never paid off for Campos, as Hughes deposited a 2-0 fastball long and deep into the Taiwanese night – handing the Aussies an historic 7-4 win.

The victory now moves the Aussies into prime position to advance to the quarter finals, having beaten two of their major in POOL B within the space of 24 hours.

Australia’s record now stands at 2-1, and being all but assured of victory in their next game against the rank outsiders Thailand, taking one game from any of Korea, Germany or Canada would virtually guarantee the Aussie a place in the next round.