Far North Coast Baseball Association's A Grade started off Baseball NSW's Men's Country Championships with a nail-biting win over Cairns from Queensland.

Far North Coast Baseball Association has two terams, an A Grade side and a B Grade side, at the Men's Country Championships which are being at Blacktown International Sports Park in Blacktown, Sydney.

FNC Baseball's A grade side defeated Cairns 8-7 on Friday after taking the lead late in the game. The game was tied at seven a piece with FNC batting in the bottom of the fifth when Jake Turcato singled on a 0-2 count, scoring one run.

FNC Baseball’s big innings came in the second when they tallied five runs. The offensive onslaught came from singles by Jordan Williams, Will Riley, and Nate Bloxham and a walk by Turcato.

A five-run lead in the third inning was just enough for FNC to hold off Cairns for the victory. Cairns scored six runs in the failed comeback at the top of the fourth. 

With a one run lead leading into the top of the sixth and time looming, a strong defensive double play and strike out earned FNC their first win of the tournament. 

Jason Bromell was on the mound for FNC. He allowed four hits and seven runs over three and a third innings, striking out two.

FNC Baseball A Grade totaled nine hits in the game. Turcato, Williams, and Riley each collected 2 hits each to lead the team with the bat. 

B grade played two games on Day 1 of the Men's Country Championships, going down 11-1 to Newcastle and 3-2 to Central Coast in a hard fought game. 

In other matches played in FNC Baseball's division the other results were: Illawarra 13 Central Coast 3, Tamworth 1 Newcastle 13.

EMILY CLARK