It will mark sixth straight year the provincial championship series will feature St. John’s and Corner Brook.
The Barons earned the right to once more take on the defending champion Capitals by prevailing in the three-team provincial senior B tourney held over the weekend at Jubilee Field in Corner Brook. The Barons edged the Gander Pilots 4-3 in walk-off fashion in the deciding game as Corner Brook veteran Darren Colbourne drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Colbourne's one-out single on an 0-2 pitch from A.J. Whiffen plated Aaron Flood from third base with the winning run.
Adding to Colbourne's day was the fact that his son Matt was the winning pitcher. The young lefthander, who through a complete game Sunday, was named the tourney's top pitcher.
Steve Hynes of Corner Brook was selected MVP after batting .400, driving in 11 runs and also pitching a win. Kevin Miller of Gander led all batters with a .600 average.
Sunday's game also qualified as a rubber match between the Barons and Stafford Welding Pilots, who split their games in the double round robin that preceded Sunday’s final.
Both teams finished with 3-1 records in preliminary play, while the Mount Pearl Blazers, the other team in the B tourney, were winless in four games.
The Capitals have dominated the provincial scene in the 2000s, winning 16 of the last 17 provincial crowns. The lone exception was in 2013, when the Barons came away with the title.
This year’s best-of-seven all-Newfoundland series is scheduled to get underway July 28 at Jubilee Field.
Round-robin results
Friday
Gander 7, Corner Brook 4
Corner Brook 9, Mount Pearl 4
Saturday
Gander 6, Mount Pearl 4
Corner Brook 11, Gander 5
Corner Brook 14, Mount Pearl
Sunday
Gander 10, Mount Pearl 0