Sixteen-year-old Ryan Bartel hit the winning run through the on-side and was mobbed by team-mates.

"After we'd shaken hands they got around me, it was good," Bartel said.

It was a remarkable finish to a rollercoaster regular season, but the Bushies' year could have ended in heartache.

"On the ball before we got the runs, I snicked one off the spinner and it went down (by the wicketkeeper)," he said.

Tallangatta's final pairing needed 13 runs for victory when teenager Jack Fenz Mace was dismissed, to leave the visitors at 9-210.

It was number 11 Clint Ried's fourth bat of the season, while Bartel had reached double figures only once in his 10 previous innings, boasting a top score of 13 not out against Wodonga Raiders last month.

With the season on the line, any batsman would have been entitled to be nervous, but the teenager was cool.

"I was actually pretty calm, I wasn't too worried about it actually," he said.

"I didn't feel any pressure at all."

Bartel finished unbeaten on 18 from 37 balls, while Ried was seven not out.

The Bushies edged out Albury for the last finals spot and will now meet Lavington in Saturday's semi-final.

"I think it means a lot actually," Bartel said.

"We've been struggling without our three big guys, so to still make finals, it's been really great."