The Bellingen Brewers and Coffs Harbour All Stars met Saturday for the final time this season in the junior baseball grand final. The Brewers prevailed with a thrilling 8-7 walk-off win to end their inaugural season as premiers.
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Aiden Oliver was the grand final MVP for the Brewers, with an outstanding performance on the pitching mound and at bat. Oliver hurled three hitless innings, allowing just one run, had two hits, one run batted in, and two runs scored, including the game winner.
The All Stars managed their lone run off Oliver in the top of the first inning, but the Brewers answered with three runs to grab a 3-1 lead, as Oliver, Cam Rutherford and Luke Mitchell all scored. They extended their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second inning as Scarlett Murray-Lyon walked, stole second, and scored on Oliver’s hit.
Although Bellingen seemed in control, two Brewers runners tagged out at home kept the scores close. Coffs Harbour rallied with three runs in the top of the fourth inning, but a quick play by Mitchell to nail an All Stars runner at home for the third out kept the scores level at 4-all.
In the bottom of the inning, the aggressive base running by the Brewers finally paid off. Rutherford scored from third on a wild pitch, then Connor Wear came home right behind him when the ball squirted away in the attempt to nab Rutherford, to put Bellingen back on top, 6-4.
As the final inning got underway, it looked like Bellingen’s lead would be short-lived, as the first two All Stars batters reached second and third. But Wear snared a line drive and doubled the lead Coffs runner off base, preserving the lead and leaving the Brewers with just one more out to get. It looked like the Brewers had the game won when the next batter skied a fly ball, but it eluded the fielders and before Coffs was finished, they had pushed three runs across the plate to lead 7-6.
Down to their final at bat, once again Bellingen’s daring base running proved the difference. With one out, Tashi Keeda walked, then stole second and third. The next batter struck out, but the third strike was dropped and the catcher had to throw to first base to complete the out. Keeda alertly dashed for home and slid in under the return throw to level the scores at 7-all.
Oliver was the next batter and reached first on a walk. As James Cecil gamely battled through a 10-pitch at bat, Oliver stole second, third, then finally dashed home with the winning run on a wild pitch that eluded the All Stars catcher.
While enjoying the glow of the junior’s grand final victory, the Brewers club is already looking ahead to next season, with plans to recruit more young area players into the sport. Their success would not be possible without the generous support of the club’s sponsor, the Bellingen Brewery.