As a strong, hot wind lashed the Field of Dreams on Saturday, Warriors coach Nathan Handsaker stepped up to the plate as the lead-off batter in the A-grade grand final against the Armidale Outlaws and cracked the ball high out to right field to land on third.
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Ryan Handsaker was up next and hit a ground ball to right field to score his brother and get to first.
Chris Dyson followed and struck the ball high down the centre.
Jake Forsythe then belted it sweetly down the middle, before the side’s fifth at bat Andy Bello also had a base hit.
It was 3-0 after the first innings and Warriors would not relinquish the lead, recording a 12-3 win over the minor premiers to capture their sixth straight premiership.
“The boys played well today,” Nathan said. “Johnny [Warren] threw an amazing game like he did last week to get us into the grand final. The boys played hard, and they really wanted it this year again.”
“This year is a new side,” he added. “So we just want to keep it running, keep it rolling.”
They kept the score rolling along against Armidale.
It was 4-0 when David Ardill connected with a left-field blast in the third innings.
By the time it got to the bottom of the fourth, Warriors led 11-0.
The Outlaws, in their first grand final after entering the competition last season, posted their first runs in a two-run fourth innings.
But Warriors snuffed out any hint of a Armidale fightback the next innings when Bello scored.
“Got three quick runs in and just kept piling them on from there,” Nathan said, adding: “All the boys today played well. Other than Johnny, we all played the part.”
Outlaws player-coach Josh Shaw said Warriors were just too good on the day.
“They bat one to nine. They’re a strong side,” he said. “Johnny Warren, their pitcher, is a veteran and a real battler. Full credit to him for shutting down our bats like he did.
“It [being minor premiers] is a little bit added pressure. But that’s in no way an excuse for how we performed today. We’re going to look to next season, and we’re going to build on what we’ve already achieved.”
In the B-grade grand final, Cavaliers defeated Armidale 9-6.