Victorian teams embraced Senior League success, with the Southern Mariners winning gold and the Eastern Athletics taking out bronze at the 2021 Australian Senior League Championship in Lismore.
Southern Mariners won 8-7 over Macarthur in extra innings in the gold medal game at Albert Park Baseball Complex. Otto Moje drove in the go-ahead run and Genevieve Beacom kept things under control on the mound for the victory.
Southern Mariners Coach Ben Laux says the tournament was such an enjoyable experience. “We had a really tough draw facing eventual 4th place Cronulla, Adelaide, and a quality Swan Hills side from WA,” Laux said. “Overall Lismore is a great facility, and despite the weather concerns, the charter always enjoys their time there.”
The Mariners relied on their pitchers throwing strikes in the gold medal game. “They were relentless in filling up the zone even when defensively we could have been a little sharper,” Laux said.
The Mariners had a special motivation to finish on top. “This group lost the gold medal game two years ago in a Junior League game that went into extra innings very similar to this year’s final,” Laux said. “It’s been two years in the making to change the result our way.”
Great performances from up and down the lineup made a difference to the Mariners. “Tyler Ellis was clutch in the batter’s box in the gold medal game,” Laux said. “Lachie Smith had an outstanding tournament both pitching and hitting extremely well. Ryan Williams defence at first base was impressive over the week.”
Laux acknowledges how wonderful it was for the Southern Mariners Senior League to go out in style.
“The Senior league side has been special one for the Mariners since the inaugural 2017 team led by the very much loved Jack Larner that took the team to the World Series in Maine,” Laux said. “This year is the final year of charter baseball for 11 players in the squad which has seen them play and learn the game together since U12 Little League. It was a rewarding way to finish the journey.”