Major baseball milestone

MIC TALBOT

SHELLHARBOUR City Warriors are celebrating a dream come true after winning a premiership in their first Illawarra Baseball Major League season.

The Warriors defeated Wests Cardinals 6-2 in Sunday's third grade grand final at Fred Finch Park.

Shellharbour showed no nerves in their first major league decider, with leadoff batter "Barney" Miller batted in on a single by Andy Piper for a 1-nil lead after as many innings.

Shellharbour added two runs in the second inning before the Cards counterpunched with two in the bottom of the third for a 3-2 deficit.

Warriors scored again in the fourth with Mic Talty batted in from second by a towering two-base hit by Troy Crowther.

Scores remained 4-2 until the top of the sixth when the Warriors brought another two across the plate.

Scott Beaumann's towering sacrifice brought Barney Miller before Troy Crowther crossed after being given safe on a close play from a pass ball.

That left the Cards needing five runs in their last inning to steal victory but the Warriors' infield produced a clinical display to preserve their lead.

Wests' first batter up was retired after driving to shortstop Rick Clark before second baseman Barney Miller combined with Clark to pull off a clinical 4-6-3 double play to end the match.

In the final analysis, the Warriors scored 6 runs, 5 hits and 1 error over the Cardinals' 2 runs, 8 hits and 2 errors.

Best of the Warriors' batters were Andy Piper with two singles from four at bats, doubles from Barney Miller and Troy Crowther (1 RBI) and Dale Chudleigh's timely single earning him two runners batted in.

Warriors' fielding was tight on the day with second baseman Barney Miller working hard with five assists and one error.

Adam Williams at left field and Andy Piper at centre field gave the outfield a thousand percent fielding average, taking one fly ball apiece.

Warriors' starter Mic Talty pitched 6 innings, 6 strikeouts, giving up 8 hits.