Relief pitcher James Cornall scored the winning run and closed out the game from the mound to be the hero for the Maitland Mavericks in Sunday’s fifth grade grand final.
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Cornall replaced starting pitcher David Cribb and then delivered the goods in a 5-4 victory against Lakers and the Mavericks’ maiden fifth grade major premiership.
“He [Cornall] was just outstanding,” Mavericks president Dennis Smith said.
“He hit the winning run and then finished them off.”
The scores had been locked going into the final inning of the Newcastle Baseball Association showdown before Cornall put the Mavericks ahead by one.
This meant the boys in black and white had to hold Lakers out at the bottom of the inning with Cornall in control.
After a tense struggle the Mavericks prevailed, much to the delight of the Maitland supporters at Windsor Park.
“It was a really good win,” Smith said.
“They led and then we came back and then it all came down to the wire.
“I was jut happy the guys were able to pull it off.”
Smith said it was a historic moment for the club.
“It was the first time Maitland has won a fifth grade grand final,” Smith said.
“We have won a couple of sixth grade and one in fours but never fifth grade.”
In the other minor league deciders Woodberry went down 17-6 to Phoenix Charlestown Blackbirds in sixth grade while Nelson Bay breezed past Belmont 17-3 in fourths.
In Saturday’s major league grand finals Belmont captured their eight straight major premiership with a 10-1 victory against Toronto and they made it a clean sweep with success against the same opponents in second and third grades.
