On Saturday the Shoalhaven Mariners 2nd grade travelled to Thomas Dalton Park, to take on the Northern Pirates in the grand final rematch. The 2 teams haven’t met this year but the Mariners have had the wood on the Pirates for quite some time, not losing to them since the 2017 grand final.
The match promised to be a beauty with the Mariners narrowly ahead of the Pirates on the table in 2nd position. Onlookers weren’t disappointed as a pitcher dule soon unfolded. Mariners starting pitcher Andrew Provest hurling 4 innings of one run baseball, while Pirates pitcher Travis Dutton went one better and managed 5 shutout innings.
As Mariners relief pitcher Brenton McMahon took over on the mound, the job was simple, keep the Pirates scoreless, fire the bats up and steal a victory in the last inning. McMahon delivered a 3 up 3 down performance In the bottom of the 5th inning, now all that was needed was runs.
Just like it was scripted the Mariners bats came alive in the last inning with 4 hits. Brenton McMahon’s 2 RBI single to left field was clutch putting the visitor nose in front by 2.
Needing just 3 outs for victory, McMahon was at it again retiring the first two hitters and striking out the 3rd, However catcher Gabe Tate was unable to secure the out at 1st base and the Pirates now had a base runner. With the game on the line Pirates hitter Dennis Black locked onto one and drove it into centerfield scoring the run. Mariners centerfielder Sam De Meyer was good enough to field the ball and fire a bullet into 2nd where Kyle French tagged out the overambitious Black ending the game. Mariners winning 3-2.
Single Hits going to Sam DeMeyer , Gabe Tate (2), Andrew Provest, Edan Kelly and Brenton McMahon. Sam De Meyer had Mariners only double hit of the game.
Pitching was shared between Andrew Provest 76 pitches 47 strikes and 3 strikeouts.
Next week the Mariners return to Ison Park to take on the Berkley Eagles A side.
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Photos by David Tate