Back row - Graham Moro, Kerry Tracey, Brett,
Luke Doyle, Bernard Marsh and Katie Courtney
Front row - Geoff (Coach),
Shannon Kaine, Cameron Messer, Ben Cryan, Tom Maher and John Williams
The excellant standard of play displayed
by Junior Baseballers in the Grand Finals of the League competition
at Martyn Street Reserve on Saturday, was the true indication
of why baseball in Cairns is going from strength to strength.
Finals were played in the Under 12, 14 and 16 competitions, with
the Under 8 and 10's being "first past the post" format.
Under 12
The skills displayed by these two teams from the Dodgers camp
were a credit to their coaches Gary Huxley and Geoff Roneberg.
For three innings the game was scoreless.
Rockets put the first run on the board in the fourth innings and
could have gone further ahead later in the game except that a
player missed a base and the crafty Cannons players picked up
the error and two runs were cancelled out.
The score was level at the fifth innings and going into the sixth
innings the Cannons were unable to add to their score.
With time running out and the Rockets to bat last, they had
to score a run to win the game or the trophy would have gone to
joint winners.
Lead-off batter for the day Ben Cryan came to the plate and pounded
the ball through the infield bringing catcher Cameron Messer to
the plate.
Messer, who has been one of the most unruffled players of the
season, planted the ball deep in the rightfield for a home run
to give Rockets the Premiership.
Excellent displays of defence from both teams with much credit
to the pitchers and their catchers.
Brett Roneberg recorded nine strike
outs and Kerry Tracey knotched
up four for the Rockets.
Michael Breen worked consistantly for the full game with good
backup from Alistair Blanch and Oliver Garside.
Another highlight of the game was a game-saving catch in the outfield
by Graham Moro.