The Victoria Junior Mariners saved their best for last, claiming the B.C. Junior Premier Baseball League championship courtesy of a 7-2 victory over the Abbotsford Cardinals.
The two teams went into Sunday afternoon's final with identical 4-0 tournament records, but manager Scott Smith's team was the last one standing at Whalley Stadium in Surrey.
Michael Varley was 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, and Mitch Bryan was 2-for-3 with three runs batted in for the victors, who used three-run innings in the third and sixth to secure the triumph.
Lucas Piechnik added a pair of hits in four plate appearances with an RBI and a run scored for the Mariners, who finished the regular season with a 24-20 record, but sailed through the provincial championship.
Tanner Hess went the distance on the mound for the Mariners, allowing seven hits but just single runs in the first and fourth innings.
"We did it, we won the 'ship," said Smith. "It was unbelievable."
"We threw five starters and we got five complete games," he said of his pitching. "It was unbelievable defence and Hess, in the final today, was lights out. We also had very timely hitting. This is just a very proud time."
Earlier on Sunday, the Mariners blanked the Coquitlam Redlegs 1-0 in the semifinal, with Zach Downey on the mound. The right-hander allowed just three hits over seven innings.
