ILLAWARRA BASEBALL
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Northern Pirates ended the grand final stranglehold of premiers Wests Cardinals in Illawarra baseball with a 5-0 victory on Saturday to advance to the premiership decider against Dapto Chiefs.
Pirates haven't made a grand final since winning their third premiership in 1997, while Cardinals have a record 29 titles, including six premierships since 2004.
A month of rain means the grand final is set to be moved from Fred Finch Park to Pirates' home base at Dalton Park, with Pirates now involved in grand finals in four of the five grades after their best-ever regular season.
Pirates starting pitcher Brenden Lower threw a masterful nine-inning shut-out against Cardinals, giving up just seven hits and striking out 13 batters.
Bucs' right fielder Brad Drain had three hits and was involved in the first run, with a two-out single to left field in the fourth inning.
Catcher Luke Rich drove in Drain to give the third-placed Pirates the lead against the side that was above them on the ladder.
With Lower and Cardinals ace Blake Handley locked in a pitcher's duel, Pirates scored an insurance run in the seventh with Dean Newson driving in Lower, with Jesse Lynch thrown out at home plate after a great outfield throw in the same play. Handley struck out 11 batters but Pirates sealed victory with three runs in the top of the ninth.
Matt Sainsbury, a first-time premiership winner with Cardinals last season before returning to Pirates in 2014, had his biggest play of the season with a two-out triple, driving in Lynch and Newson.
A throwing error, with Sainsbury stranded off the bag at third base, made it 5-0.
In a beaten side, Cards skipper Josh Dean did all he could, going 4-4.
Pirates finished three wins behind the top side Chiefs after the 20-round season, but Chiefs have not played for five weeks due to washouts.
Chiefs had a scrimmage match last Saturday to try to replicate match conditions but Pirates hope their nine innings against Cards gives them an edge for Saturday's grand final.
"Our guys thought it took three to four innings just to get used to being in a match again," Pirates player-coach Andrew Clifford said.
"The way Brendo's [Brenden Lower] pitching, we give ourselves a shot. We haven't been in a first-grade grand final since '97, so it's big for us."
Before the preliminary final a minute's silence marked the passing of Grant Noyce, who played for Cards and Pirates.
Meanwhile, in second grade Pirates beat Kiama Braves 9-7 in the preliminary final and face minor premiers Cardinals in the grand final.
In third grade, Pirates are minor premiers and take on Cards who beat Braves 17-3 in the grand final qualifier.
In fourth grade, Pirates beat Cards 14-2 in the preliminary final and will take on Warriors for the title.
Finally, Cardinals ended Pirates' hopes of being in all five grand finals with a 14-9 win in fifth grade.
Cards take on Warriors in the grand final.