Cronulla will represent Australia region at the Little League Baseball World Series for the second time in August.
A fast start helped Cronulla top Ryde Red 5-2 – and punch its ticket to the US - in the 2019 Australian Little League Championship gold medal game in Lismore this afternoon.
A four-run first inning proved decisive as Ryde threatened late.
Lachlan Vella (double), Blake Cleary (single) and Sam Levick (walk) reached ahead of a bases clearing triple from Ewan Choat.
Cronulla starting pitcher Max Miotto impressed working with an early lead.
The right-hander worked into the fifth inning and finished with four strikeouts.
Vella replaced Miotto and recorded the final five outs.
Ryde opened its account on Joshua Nati’s single in the third and pulled within three runs on Alasdair Ballantyne’s fifth-inning single.
But Cronulla added an insurance run to punch its ticket to the 2019 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Cronulla will be making its second trip to Williamsport after featuring in 2015.
Click here for the box score.
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