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You know those “where were you moments” that baseball seems to magically produce?

Coen Wynne and the Sydney Blue Sox turned a pitching performance everyone in the Australian Baseball community will remember for a long time.

The Blue Sox faced the minimum – 27 batters faced, 27 outs – in their win over the Melbourne Aces today.

No, it wasn’t perfect. But it may as well have been. There were three hits conceded but they were erased by a double play.

Coen Wynne was the front man to the story. The Sydney Blue Sox local, and Team Australia star, dazzled.

He threw 7.2 innings, allowing three hits, no walks and nine strike outs. He needed just 79 pitches.

He threw with a heavy heart and in honour of his recently passed grandmother. The context behind his start is incredible.

Blue Sox Manager Brooke Knight said it was, “one of those moments that transcends baseball.”

Wynne’s grandmother passed away last Thursday. He found out after he arrived in Canberra for Round Four.

He threw three innings Thursday night and drove back home to be with his family. The Blue Sox played on.

The funeral was this weekend in Grafton – a small country town in the north coast of New South Wales.

He attended his Nan’s funeral on the weekend, driving back late Saturday night to rejoin his family. In fact, by the time Coen returned to Sydney it was 1:30AM on Sunday.

Brooke Knight got in touch with Coen and asked him if he wanted to start.

“If you give me the ball, I’ll give you everything I got,” replied Wynne.

Photo: Mick Goddard

He got the ball. He gave everything. He played the starring role in a combined shutout where the Blue Sox faced the minimum.

7.2 innings. Nine strikeouts. Three hits. No walks.

For Nan.

“This is easily the most important start [I’ve had] and a game I’ll never forget,” says Wynne. “Going out there and doing my thing thing while I felt supported by my team with a strong offensive performance and great plays behind me.”

Kyle Glogoski, a longtime NSW teammate of Coen, closed out the final four outs.

“It’s as perfect as a script this game could have wrote,” says Wynne.

Wynne describes the last couple weeks as “full on.”

“My heart and head were full of emotions out there today. I was trying to focus on the job at hand while having a lot playing on my mind. It was one of the hardest things I’ve done in a while,” he says.

Brooke Knight described the game as “magic.”

“I’m not going to forget this one ever,” said Knight after the game. “It’s one of those things that transcends baseball. It was special. There were tears but it’s just one of those performances you’ll never forget.”

Knight says he admires the competitive spirit of Wynne. Coen says he gets it from his nan.

“The last few weeks have been rough for my family but I know my competitiveness and fiery spirit was passed down to me from my Nan. Coming down to compete both weekends felt naturally right. I was supported by my whole family, by Brooke, and the team which made the decision easy,” he says.

What a weekend.