Baseball NSW congratulates the Blacktown Workers 3rd Grade for winning the 2025 NSW State League Championship over the Cronulla Sharks, 9-2, thanks largely to the big performance from Blake Price.
Five runs in the fifth inning helped propel Blacktown to the victory, as Price scored one run off a single, Eli Lewis singled and led to three more runs, while Dane Tozer scored another run off a single.
Yet Price’s grand showing at bat was one of the highlights of the game. In four at bats, Price made three hits, singling in the third, the fifth, and the eighth.
Cronulla opened up the scoring in the first inning after a ground out from Connor Casey and a single from Brendan Ridge down the right field line led to a run each.
However, it was Blacktown’s game the rest of the way. Price’s single deep in the third started it for the Workers, with Ryan Herbert’s single and a Cronulla error led to three runs in all.
Besides Price, Blacktown’s bats were working against Cronulla. The team made 15 hits in the game, as Matthew Fagan, Dylan Green, Tozer, and Lewis each contributed multiple hits. They also avoided a single error.
On the mound, Blacktown starting pitcher Nathan Mackean allowed three hits and two runs over six innings. He struck out seven and walked four. Relief pitchers Kal Murray and Hunter McAdam threw shutout innings for the Workers.
Meanwhile, Cronulla starter Brendan Johnson allowed ten hits and eight runs, with five earned, over five innings while striking out none and walking four. Cronulla also collected six walks over the game.