Facing off at Moama Recreation Reserve on Thursday, the home side won the toss and batted first.
Openers Anthony McMahon and Russell Stockdale weren’t able to make much of an impact on the scoreboard, putting Moama on the back foot early.
Aidan Young sneaked through McMahon’s defences in the second over, sending him back to the sheds for just one run.
In a wayward Jarryd Hatton over that featured six wides, the Echuca quick found his line long enough to remove Stockdale for five.
In trouble at 2-12, Moama steadied through Michael Hill and Fraser Buchanan.
Hill looked to move the scoreboard forward but departed for 11, leaving Buchanan settling in for the partnership of the innings with Matt Saunders.
Saunders’ attacking 42 from 39 was complemented by Buchanan’s more reserved 18 from 29 as the pair added 48, pushing the total to 78.
Saunders’ departure in the 18th over halted the Moama momentum, with Simon Porter gone the very next ball.
Moama declined from 4-97 to 7-99 in short order, before some late scrambling by Michael Archer and Liam Stephens got the Mowers to their final total of 7-109.
Hatton was no stranger to the extras column, but proved lethal when on song, taking 3-22, while Young chipped in a pair of valuable wickets.
The Echuca batting order has historically been one of the most balanced in the competition, and that proved true again in the run chase.
The oft-aggressive Curtis Townrow started the innings on the right foot with three boundaries in his 15. Number three James Grixti also made a useful 14.
The game was in the balance at 3-45, with Anthony Dennis (28) working with Kobyn James, Hatton and Young to progress the total to 6-91.
From there, Echuca still required 19 from just 11 balls to claim victory.
Remaining batsman Young and new man in Charlie Hinks dashed through for four consecutive singles before Hinks recognised the need to go big, launching one over the rope with the final delivery of the 19th.
Needing nine from the final over, Young’s placement served him well with the first two balls, running a pair of twos to draw within five.
He then scrambled a quick single to hand the strike to Hinks, who was promptly run out trying the same the next ball.
With two deliveries remaining and four runs required, Young finished things off with the penultimate ball, finding the rope to give Echuca the win.
A balanced Moama attack saw Samuel Langley as the standout, taking an economical 2-13 from his four overs, while Rhys Drennan, Michael Archer, Russell Stockdale and Michael Hill all took wickets.
Last year’s champion Moama is now out of the finals, not possessing a strong enough quotient to rise to the top of the 1-1 sides.
Echuca has finished third and moves on to a semi-final with Bamawm-Lockington United at Bamawm Recreation Reserve on Thursday.
The other semi-final clash will be in Kyabram between ladder-leader Fire Brigade and Nondies-Cohuna.
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