Armidale Outlaws gave it their all in Saturday's Tamworth baseball competition grand finals but it wasn't quite enough as they again just fell short of the spoils.
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It was dejavu as Cougars denied them in both A and B grade. There was only a run in it in A grade and two in B grade, and a lot for the club to be proud of.
Third base coach Patrick O'Connor spoke post match about how they have come a long way since they first came together. That was reiterated by the club being named club champions.
In both deciders they pushed Cougars all game, with B grade going down 6-4 and A grade 5-4 after jumping out to a 2-nil lead early.
O'Connor said they went in bracing for a really tough game, but with spirits high.
"Baseball is a funny sport where anyone can rock up on the day and win it," he said.
"Today we just put it up there that we're a small club from up north coming down south to play these guys, and we just came up short."
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The Outlaws were first on the board with Josh Shaw batting in Paul Wright the top of the third.
They went two ahead in their next innings courtesy of Urata Takashi.
O'Connor said that initial lead really gave them a huge boost.
"I think that two run lead gave us the early momentum, and that early momentum, even when you're not scoring runs, you're making outs and boys are making big plays," O'Connor said.
A miss-field at third allowed Cougars to sneak a runner home and get on the board. They followed up with a second run to tie the scores up at 2-all after four innings.
Outlaws pulled away again in the fifth but again Cougars hit back. Aiden Lee and Brian Hopton then crossed the plate for the second time in Cougars' seventh dig to put them two ahead.
The Outlaws managed to drag one back but needed two to stay alive.
O'Connor thought everyone "played their socks off" and said "everyone did their job with the stick", but did single out their three pitchers - Brad Smith starting off, Cam Beat and Josh Shaw, for the job they did to limit the runs of the usually high-scoring Cougars.
"Braddy (Brad Smith) came out and had a whirlwind," he said.
He pitched the first five innings before being relieved by Beat.
"He's only a part-time pitcher, but he threw heat," O'Connor said.
Shaw then took to the mound for only the second time this season to close the game out.
O'Connor also gave a huge shout out to Sam McKay.
"He came in and pitched a fantastic four innings," he said.
"He's been absolutely demolishing it this year in only his second year playing baseball."
He was duly named the mvp for B grade for the season.
Ollie Grimble's performance was another highlight.
"[He] had a field day. He also caught an amazing catch in left field with the ball right in the sun," O'Connor said.
