Cane's, Kye Rymer rounds the bases during his grand slam which effectively won the Eva Simmons Fast Pitch Championship for his team in the 7-5 win over East Invaders photo credit:charlie jackson/VINO

Neville Smith "sat down" 5 invaders in a row before conceding 3 runs in the 4th inning to get the crowd wondering if there would be a game 6. Photo credit: charlie jackson/VINO

Kevi Potter slides home safely at third before heading home for the Invaders 2nd run. Photo credit: charlie jackson/VINO

Having rumbled to a 15-2 win in game 4 all eyes were on the Invaders and if they could maintain the momentum to keep the series alive.

At the top of the 1st that seemed a distinct possibility as the first three Hurricanes facing Allen Smith, were all out before reaching first. Some even saw the series going to game 6 when in the bottom of the 1st Neville Smith conceded the opening run when Nateshon Thomas was brought home on a sacrifice bunt by Kevi Potter, although neither Mahal DeCastro nor Devon Bedford could add to the score before the inning closed.

Stung into action Jeremy Penn led off the 2nd inning and immediately singled to short stop. Rodhni Skelton and Jamaal Allen both bunted to load the bases and Penn leveled the score on an error from Bedford at the plate. The Hurricanes then took what became an un assailable lead as designated player Kye Rymer faced Smith with two outs and the bases loaded.

He calmly then smashed one to centre field where Tramore Fraser misjudged the trajectory, saw it sail over his outstretched glove and before he could retrieve the ball at the wall Rymer scored Skelton, Allen, Jaquan Thomas and himself to make it 5-1.

Neville Smith then came into his own to sit down Dwight Brooks, Jamie Potter and Allison Leonard

There was no scoring in the 3rd inning and Smith shut down any chance of an Invaders come back getting his 5th strikeout in a row and Thomas was caught by the second baseman chasing down a foul ball to right field.

The game came alive in the 4th inning with the Invaders pulling the score back to 5-4. Kevi Potter was walked and made 3rd on a single by Bedford to right field. With Decastro at bat Bedford’s steal to 2nd saw Potter take off for home and beating a wild throw to make it 5-2. Decastro’s RBI single saw Bedford home to make it 5-3 and pinch runner Rafael Rabsatt came home on a sacrifice from Brooks to make it 5-4.

At the top of the 5th John was caught inside the left field foul line bringing Sylvester Johnson to the plate. He was walked allowing Penn to increase the lead with an infield 2 run shot in centre. Smith shut out the Invaders to leave the score at 7-4.

The Hurricanes had a chance to add further misery onto the Invaders in the 6th when with two outs and the bases loaded Skelton got himself caught in centre field by Fraser. It proved of little consequence as Smith kept the Invaders scoreless despite Bedford opening the at bat with a double down the left field line. DeCastro was caught by third baseman Johnson, Brookes was walked after being hit on the hand, Jamie Potter struck out looking and Leonard struck out swinging.

The Hurricanes closed their 7th inning 3 runs to the good and that’s exactly how it appeared to be finishing, until however Nateshon Thomas added a few nervous moments to the inning. Fraser was struck out and Smith hit one straight back to his opposite number to be short at 1st. With 2 outs and nothing to lose Thomas promptly smashed an infield homer to make it 7-5 and once again the crowd began to wonder.

However the Hurricanes are no puff of wind and with Smith looking perhaps more calm than he felt Potter popped up to deep left field and the celebration began.

The Hurricanes had 7 hits, 1 error and left 7 runners on base whilst the Invaders had 7 hits, 1 error and left 4 runners on base. The winning pitcher was Neville Smith who won 3 games in the series and had a 2.58 Earned Run Average and the loser was Allen Smith. Hurricanes offense was powered by Kye Rymer and Jeremy Penn who had 2 hits each. Rymer had a grand slam home run and Penn had a 2 run blast. Nateshon Thomas and Devon Bedford each had 2 hits for Invaders.

Kye Rymer of Hurricanes was the series' Most Valuable Player. Rymer had a batting average of .538, with a home run and 10 runs batted in