The Brisbane Bandits stand between Perth Heat and a second consecutive Australian Baseball League Championship Series, with the Heat to host the Queensland outfit in a three-game semifinal this weekend.

Perth wrapped up second place on the ABL ladder with 4-0 series victory over the Sydney Blue Sox on the weekend, which coupled with the Bandits’ own 4-0 loss to Adelaide Giants, allowed the Heat to leapfrog them into the second spot.

The Sydney series whitewash ensured Perth finished the season with a 24-15 record, four and a half games behind Adelaide - an impressive record given the Heat started the season 2-6.

Perth began strongly against Sydney in game one, as a four-run opening inning set the tone for the rest of the series.

Ulrich Bojarski, Jake Bowey, Odalys Peguero and Raudelis Martinez all drove in runs to help Perth to a 4-1 lead at the bottom of the first, and a Bowey single in the third inning increased their lead to 5-2.

The score would stay the same until the ninth inning, and while the Blue Sox made it close with two runs at the bottom of the inning, the Heat hung on to secure a 5-4 win.

Game two was decided by a fifth-inning surge for Perth, after a Bojarksi single was matched by a Justin Wylie homer for Sydney.

The Heat made their move at the top of the fifth as Peguero, Tim Kennelly and Hall made it 4-1, before Bojarski drove in Kennelly and Hall to extend the lead and secure an eventual 6-2 win for Perth.

Perth wrapped up the series with a tight 7-6 win in game three as they came from behind three times to claim victory.

Down 1-0 at the top of the fourth, Jess Williams and Nehomar Ochoa helped Perth take the lead before Wylie drove in three runs to restore Sydney’s lead.

Peguero and Kennelly levelled proceedings at the top of the seventh, before Wyllie quickly made it 5-4 to the Blue Sox - only for a three-run homer to Kennelly at the top of the ninth to prove too much for Sydney to overcome.

Game four proved to be a blowout, but only after Perth again came from behind, recovering from an 8-2 deficit at the bottom of the fourth to win 14-8.

An Ochua double had started Perth off on the right foot but after they fell behind, a six-run fifth inning, with contributions from Sam Kennelly, Martinez and a three-run Hall home run, tied the scores.

Martinez, Bowey and Williams helped the lead to 11-8 at the top of the seventh, before Williams and Sam Kennelly added three more runs in the ninth.

Perth will host Brisbane at Empire Ballpark on Friday and Saturday, with Sunday to host the decisive fixture if it is needed.

They split their recent home series with the Bandits in Brisbane, but won their home series against them in December 3-1.