Wed 15th June saw the Essex Redbacks Baseball Club host the final of their schools tournament at their Bronco diamond at Forest Glade, Barleylands, Billericay.
For the past couple of months the Essex Redbacks baseball club have been visiting local schools and cub/scout groups as part of their community baseball programme in which the club holds baseball taster sessions introducing local youngsters to the game of baseball and teaching them the skills involved.
The final of the schools tournament saw Great Berry Primary School led by teacher Mr Saint play against Merrylands Primary School led by Mr Robinson with both teams keen to use the baseball skills that had learnt over the past few weeks, in their first competitive baseball game on a regulation sized youth baseball diamond.
Great Berry were playing as the away team meaning they batted first and quickly scored 2 runs before Merrylands got the 3 outs to retire the side. Merrylands responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the 1st inning before Great Berry got the 3 outs.
The next 2 innings saw Great Berry score 5 runs and Merrylands 6 runs to leave the scores tied at 7 runs each at the mid point of the match. Great Berry then outscored Merrylands 4-3 over the next couple of innings to give them a narrow 11-10 lead going into the last inning.
In their last at bat of the game the Great Berry team showed their best batting scoring 5 runs to give Merrylands a tough task to win the game. Great Berry quickly got 2 players out before Merrylands scored a run reducing the score to 16-12.
Despite Merrylands getting some more good hits and runners on base, Great Berry got the 3rd out required to win the ballgame and give them the title of 2011 Essex Redbacks Schools Baseball Tournament winner.
Great Berry: 2-4-1-3-1-5 – 16
Merrylands: 1-4-2-1-2-1 – 11
Both teams were winners though as everyone that took part thoroughly enjoyed the match and the players demonstrated how well they had learnt the skills involved in baseball with some excellent batting and great catching and fielding.
If anyone is interested in trying baseball themselves or any schools are interested in taking part in next years baseball taster sessions and schools tournament then please contact the Head Youth Coach Sean Briscomb at sean@essexredbacks.com
