Grand Final v Victoria Blue - 18/1/12

The weather today was sparkling. High twenties, warm and refreshing gusts of wind throughout as the boys (hatless) stood for the anthem. With it came a great sense of expectation that the baseball too would be sparkling. Two years ago in U/14, the older parents tell of a game where NSW were laced in the Grand Final by this very team. Today unfurled the extraordinary.

In Grand Finals, the special happens. Sometimes there are kids who know how to win because they have learned how and done it time and time again. Others need to be led. James absolutely relishes the theatre of pressure which they bring. Many premierships, titles and medals have been earned on that stage in his short life. Today though, he understood that his role, if at all, swung on the tempo and flow of the game.

The team remained unchanged: Barbaro (catcher), Power (1), Dyer (2), Frew (SS), Hunt (3), Philibossian (CF), Mayo (RF) and Packer (LF). Zac Moran was handed the pitching job as our number one pitcher. His left handed throwing became an absolute clinic. Loping curve balls, sliders, change ups and a lethal fast ball. Zac pitched with brains and with spice. He lured batters into exotic and extravagant moments. Embarrassing. Like James had done in the semi final game against Victoria Blue previously, Zac tormented them with his variety.



He remained resolute and strong. Fierce and controlled all in one.

We got away to a flier with Dean Frew (4/4) having a day out. His performance under pressure today was first class. He hit grandly, ran bases bravely and succeeded in everything he did. Dominant. James Philibossian also crunched his fourth home run for the tournament with a stunning strike over left field. A captain's performance. We had nine batters at the box in the first innings.

At 4-0 up after 4 innings, we saw Zac Moran apply the screws. Classy fielding with no errors supported the pitchers. Basics. This team had only 17 fielding errors in the tournament over 13 games - significantly better than the next best team. Vic Blue had 30 going in to the Grand Final.

Victoria however were soon in disarray. A bit like their cricket team. They eventually threw five pitches and panicked. One of the mums was surely next to pitch for them. More pitchers than an art gallery. One of their pitchers even threw an intentional walk (four deliberate balls wide of the batter) to Philo. This is within the rules but not within the spirit of the game. Their mindset had shifted and it revealed their desperation. It was for the worse. Negative and defeatist. The sun became brighter.

We pounced. Moran, Power, Hunt, Barbaro and Mayo (2/2) all hit. We raced in three runs to get to 7-0 with one innings left to play. A 10 run lead would get us a mercy win.

Zac did the business at the mound and with bases loaded, Dean Frew (pictured moments before the strike below) dispatched another ball to the centre field and our runners came home to secure a mercy rule win and shut out. Moran as a left handed pitcher was the star. He let in no runs in a five innings shut out of the second best team in Australia.



Jubilant scenes followed as the boys embraced each other. A united bunch, led by some prominent and considered fellows from down Cronulla way. They had exposed the best Australia had to offer and possibly completed one of the most comprehensive and compelling victories EVER at this level. A mercy win in a Grand Final is highly unusual. At the National Championships this has never happened before.



At the start of the carnival there was hope and positivity. Throughout, the optimism grew and strengthened. Today the rewards of many, many training sessions came to fruition. These boys have worked hard and enjoyed each others' company. There is a common respect and sense of loyalty among them all.

For James, as long as Zac was pitching well, he was not going to pitch. To pitch two left handers in succession is a heresy. He warmed up at one stage. That was it. In team sport however, the victory belongs to them all. James understands this and was duly satisfied with his contributions. He drew high praise from all those who saw him - and the many coaches and contacts who have seen him on this stage for a few years now from many different states. As a junior player he stood up. Next year awaits.



We saw Tin Tin this morning with Liam at the movies and it is a story of a red headed kid who learns that when faced with walls, you front up and go through them. Another sporting lesson of life has been learned here in Geelong.



The structure, discipline and character of the sport, becomes that of the individual in baseball. A grand sport which is shaping our - my - young man.

He returns to training at Baulko on Sunday, 9.00am. There is a club premiership to be won yet.