The stage is set for a huge Newcastle Baseball Grand Final.
The Mayfield Boomerangs and White Sox will battle for premiership glory at Plattsburg Park this weekend.
And if their four meetings during the season are anything to go by, baseball fans could be in for another thriller.
Boomerangs have won two of those contests. The White Sox have won one, and the teams have played out a draw. This reflects how closely matched the two sides have been throughout the season in the Newcastle Baseball Grand Final.
But this weekend, none of that matters.
As Boomerangs coach Steve Harris put it during an interview with Sports Rewind Media: “A grand final, it’s a new competition.”
White Sox chasing history
For White Sox coach Shane Barclay, this Grand Final represents an opportunity to end one of the club’s longest waits.
White Sox have not won the Newcastle Baseball 1st Grade premiership since 1986.
Barclay was part of the Belmont organization at the time and remembers White Sox knocking Belmont out of the finals before going on to defeat Boomerangs in that year’s Grand Final.
Almost four decades later, White Sox have another chance.
Barclay believes his team has continued to improve as the season has progressed and sees the Grand Final as less about complicated tactics and more about which team executes with the bat.
“It’s going to be who hits best on the day.”
The White Sox coach also believes his team is beginning to develop the confidence and resilience required to win big games.
After struggling under pressure earlier in the season, Barclay said the side showed plenty of steel late in its finals campaign, particularly during the eighth and ninth innings.
He also highlighted the depth of the squad, with 12 players on the bench during their finals victory.
For White Sox, that depth could become crucial in a Grand Final where every at bat, defensive play and pitching decision could make the difference.
Winpenny set to take the mound
One of the major positives for White Sox heading into the Grand Final is the form of starting pitcher Winpenny.
Penny produced what Barclay described as probably his best performance of the season in the finals, working effectively around the strike zone and finding his rhythm as the game progressed.
Barclay confirmed that Winpenny is expected to get the start in the Grand Final.
White Sox also showed plenty of offensive versatility in their finals win, combining hitting with bunting and aggressive baserunning.
Boomerangs believe their bats are ready
Standing in their way are the defending champions, the Mayfield Boomerangs.
Coach Steve Harris believes his team’s bats are starting to come alive at exactly the right time.
The Boomerangs entered their latest finals game with their full team together for the first time in around eight weeks and responded with 14 hits against Belmont.
That has Harris confident heading into the Grand Final.
The last meeting between the two sides finished 3-1, and Harris expects another tight contest.
Despite Boomerangs’ strong record against White Sox this season, he knows the Grand Final will be decided on the day.
“We respect everyone, but nobody scares us.”
That confidence is a major part of the Boomerangs’ approach.
Harris believes the team has the ability to stay composed when games get tight and continue competing deep into contests.
Respect between two rivals
While the Grand Final will be fiercely competitive, there is also plenty of respect between the two teams.
Harris praised Barclay and the job he has done with White Sox this season, describing him as someone who will always find a way to compete.
For White Sox, the challenge will be dealing with a Boomerangs lineup that Harris believes is hitting with confidence and a pitching staff that has been strong throughout the season.
A huge day for the Boomerangs
It isn’t just the 1st Grade side chasing a premiership.
The Boomerangs will also have their 2nd Grade team in the Grand Final, giving the club a massive weekend across the two senior grades.
Harris said the club made a deliberate decision at the start of the season to field teams across multiple grades, and he believes the results have made it a very positive year for the organization.
The Boomerangs’ 2nd Grade side has dominated throughout the season and secured the minor premiership.
They will face Toronto Tigers in their Grand Final. The Tigers beat Belmont 3-1 in the final to advance to the grand final.
Harris praised the work of coaches Chris and Richard and highlighted the depth of the team’s pitching, while also pointing to the experience within the Toronto lineup.
That game should provide another fascinating contest before the 1st Grade Grand Final takes center stage.
Can the Boomerangs go back to back?
For the defending champions, the objective is simple: win another premiership.
Harris revealed that going back to back was the team’s motto from the beginning of the season.
But he also understands that previous results count for nothing once the Grand Final begins.
Boomerangs know exactly what is at stake.
White Sox know they have a chance to make history.
And with the teams having been separated by very little throughout the season, there is every reason to expect a Grand Final worthy of the occasion.
Championship Sunday awaits
The 1st Grade Grand Final promises to be one of the biggest games of the Newcastle Baseball season.
Boomerangs arrive as defending champions and one of the competition’s benchmark teams.
White Sox arrive with belief, momentum and the opportunity to end a 40-year premiership drought.
One team will leave Plattsburg Park as champion.
For the other, the wait will continue.
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