Aaron Flood drove across the island to play for the B on the crest of his jersey with every intention of helping the Corner Brook Barons get back to baseball supremacy in Newfoundland and Labrador.
His focus was on being at the top of his game and help the Barons defeat the Gander Pilots in provincial senior B baseball best-of-five series at Jubilee Field.
The winner receives a shot at playing the St. John’s Capitals in the provincial senior A baseball best-of-seven series.
Flood didn’t disappoint the local fans with his return to Jubilee Field after playing with Feildians all summer long in the St. John’s senior baseball league.
The Barons swept the Pilots, wrapping up the series with a 6-1 victory in Game 3 Saturday afternoon with Flood leading the charge with a 2-for-3 hitting display.
He won the top batter award with a sizzling .571 average and got the nod as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
The Barons hit the field early this year to prepare for provincial play. Flood likes how the new group has developed a positive attitude and embraced the roles they have been given with the team.
He was happy about his fine weekend on the diamond, but he also liked how the guys around him dug in deep to play some great baseball and deliver some key hits when they needed them most.
He believes the team had a number of guys who struggled at the plate with unfamiliar faces throwing for the Pilots, but he expects those big bats to be better against the townies because the guys are very familiar with the strong arms of the Capitals pitching staff who will be trying to keep the west coast squad at bay in a series that starts on the west coast July 27.
“All it takes is one or two key hits so if everybody can get up and swing well we’ll put up the runs and win,” Flood said. We’re all ready to go to give it another shot. We think every year is our year and we’re not going to think any different this year.”
