Friday afternoon saw the dawning of a new era at the Essendon Baseball Club as five-year-old Cooper Ward made his first of what is predicted to be many starts for the Bombers.

Early nerves were apparent for the youngster in the field, but by the time he stepped up to the plate for his first at bat, no trace of the nerves remained.

In a 2-2 night, Ward lined his first single to short right, before firing back past the pitcher in his second at bat to complete the perfect night.

He didn’t see much action in the field all night, with the support of his teammates helping the side claw back late to claim the tie, a result which hasn’t occurred for over a year in a game involving the Bombers.

Speaking after the game, Ward expressed his delight at how his debut went and said he can’t wait to get on the diamond next week as he looks to extend his strong start to the season.