BLACKTOWN Workers meet Manly in a major baseball league grand-final replay this week and have really stepped up to the plate in preparation.
The Workers are first and Manly fourth heading into the round and Blacktown tuned up by winning each of their three games in the past
week.
They didn't start auspiciously in a deferred match against the Central Coast, however.
Central Coast were in control for all but one inning but like defending champions, that was all Workers needed.
The Coast led 3-1 going into the top of the ninth, with three outs to get.
They made a pitching change and that proved the start of the Workers comeback. Blacktown got runners on and with a couple of hits tied the score.
Then with two more runners on, Todd Le Grand hit a triple.
Workers closed it out and won 5-3.
It was more straightforward against lowly Penrith on Thursday, with Blacktown scoring runs in every innings and winning 12-1.
On Sunday a determined Penrith led 5-3 after three innings.
It stayed that way until the sixth, when Workers got on the job, scoring five runs and adding four more in the seventh to win 12-5.
Meanwhile, seconds won 13-1, thirds 14-3 and U18s 5-4.
Workers stay first in the club championship.