SHENZHEN, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Shenzhen Bluesox was crowned champion of the inaugural Chinese Professional Baseball (CPB) Spring League after edging out the Shanghai Dragons 4-3 in Game 3 of the Finals, securing a 2-1 series victory on Sunday.

Wu Qirui, who led the league in RBIs and delivered the decisive hit in Game 3, was named MVP of the Spring League. "This award is a recognition of my efforts, and it also motivates me to give my all in everything I do moving forward. This MVP belongs to the entire team," said Wu, who was also the first overall pick in the CPB Draft.

Shenzhen, the regular-season leader with a 10-5 record, advanced directly to the Finals, while Shanghai earned its spot with a 4-2 win over the Fuzhou Sea Knights in the wild-card game. The two teams had previously split their four encounters in the season, and the Finals were tied at 1-1 after Game 1, where Shanghai won 3-1, and Game 2, which Shenzhen won 7-1 to force a deciding Game 3.

In the crucial third game, the Bluesox struck first with back-to-back hits in the fourth inning for a 3-0 lead. However, Shanghai capitalized on a defensive error by Shenzhen in the sixth inning to tie the game. Shenzhen forged ahead again quickly, as Wu's RBI hit in seventh inning became the decisive run, giving Shenzhen the championship.

"So proud of them. They did such a great job," Shenzhen coach Ray Chang lavished praise on his players during the award ceremony. "Everybody was tired. Everybody had sore body, sore arms, but they did a great job and found a way to close it out."

Shanghai's general manager, Zhang Xiaotian, expressed admiration for his players' effort, "Our team worked hard and was determined. Unfortunately, the balance of victory didn't tip in our favor this time, but that's baseball."

The CPB's successful debut marks a significant step in the commercialization and professionalization of Chinese baseball. Looking ahead, the Summer League is set to take place later this year, with Changsha Want Want Happy and potentially other teams joining the competition. ■