THEY won it, they lost it, they won it again.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Northern Pirates claimed one of the great Illawarra baseball grand final triumphs with a comeback 4-3, 12 innings victory over Wests Cardinals at Fred Finch Park.
Both teams had a hand on the premiership trophy in a three hour 20 minute epic, sealed in fading light with American recruit Bobby Twedt (jnr) scurrying from third base to home on a throwing error.
Defending champions Pirates had been beaten just once all season but trailed 2-0 into the eighth innings before taking the lead 3-2 on four hits in the eighth.
But having claimed the lead and just three outs from the title, Pirates looked to have blown it with a fielding error on a routine double play to end the game in the ninth.
Cards tied it at 3-3 and with chatter about the game being called due to the poor light, Blackbourn shot a pitch through the infield and Twedt went from first to third, then raced to home on an in-field throwing error.
‘‘It was an epic game,’’ Pirates skipper Andrew Clifford said.
‘‘If you love the game of baseball this was a game to savour.
‘‘It had it all - clutch pitching, some great outfield catches, pressure hits and a few mistakes from both teams.
‘‘We almost threw it away with a double play ball in the ninth but just kept battling and things went our way in the 12th.
‘‘I was so proud last year to win and end the drought and it feels just as good to keep the title here.’’
Both teams missed opportunities late in the game to snatch the title, while there were also heroic plays from the outfielders from both teams, led by Shannon Crewdson (Cards) and Pirates’ Matt Sainsbury (right field), Corey Hayman (centre field) and Jesse Lynch (left field).
The victory was sweetest for Hayman who was on the bench for the Pirates premiership in 1997, then missed last year’s triumph, but played a role in this grand final, with two hits, plus a great throw to beat a charging Cameron Thompson at home plate in the ninth innings.
Joel Thompson was involved in both Cards runs in the first and second innings to claim a 2-0 lead they held until the eighth dig.
Pirates left men on base on the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but Cards were within six outs of the title when the minor premiers charged back into the contest.
Hayman had a lead-off single in the bottom of the eighth and went to third on Sainsbury’s double. Twedt drove in Hayman, and Blackbourn made it 2-2 with a single to right field which scored Sainsbury.
Cards pitcher Scott Sartori was outstanding throwing 150 pitches and all 11.1 innings for six strikeouts and 14 hits but loaded the bases in the eighth after failing to get away a throw away on Luke Rich’s bunt.
But Sartori retired the next two batters before Twedt scored on a pass ball to give Pirates a 3-2 lead.
Cards had blown a 2-0 advantage, but tied the game after Pirates messed up a double-play ball to win the title, with Shannon Crewdson scoring.
Cameron Thompson was out at home plate on the same play and Pirates reliever Brad Drain held his nerve to ensure the match remained locked at 3-3.
In a match featuring the two best hitting teams it was a great pitching duel from starters Sartori and Pirates’ grand final MVP of last season Brenden Lower.
Sartori threw the entire game and was inspiration for Cards along with Joel Thompson (3/6, double, RBI) who had half of Wests six hits.
Twedt (3/5, RBI) and catcher Luke Rich (3/5) stepped up for Pirates, while Lower was outstanding throwing 161 pitches in nine innings for just six hits, with reliever Brad Drain a key factor in the win after throwing three hit-less digs.
Pirates also beat Cardinals in the lower grade Major League grand finals, winning second grade 15-0 and third grade 3-0.