Bears scrape home after squandering lead
GEELONG Baseball Association A Grade competition produced a run-fest at the weekend.
The Bears took a welter of free passes before squandering a massive lead, while Chris Webb spun a complete game in Deakin’s comfortable win over Saints and Lara strengthened its hold on first with a narrow result over Guild in the match of the round.
In a game of great ladder importance to both clubs, it was the Blues who were able to capitalise on their opportunit- ies and in so doing gained a break in fourth place.
Although Saints starter Josh Lee was not at his best, he was let down by a defence that conceded an unearned run in the first, one in the fourth and two more in the fifth as the home side kicked away for a seven-zip lead.
With Chris Webb well in control early, it was not until the sixth that Saints troubled the scoreboard before plating another two in the top of nine to give their own score some respectability.
Scattering six hits in his complete-game outing, Webb was backed by a solid defence while fanning seven for the three late earned runs, while Emerson Rickard kept his side in the contest with 3.1 innings of scoreless work that would again have pleased Saints management.
Collecting three hits and a walk from his five trips, manager Mark Rigby was the offensive standout for Deakin, which was well-served by Andy Medew (two hits and an RBI) and Sam Fraser (one and two).
Deakin will hit the road for an away clash with cellardwelling Mounties next Saturday, while Saints will be in search of a vital fourth win when it plays host to Lara. It was a ragged start for Mounties, who conceded nine in the first — eight of those unearned — as starter Gavin Smith struggled for control and was punished even further as his side slipped up in defence.
With the Bears holding an unassailable lead compliments of another four in the second, Mounties hit back with a couple against Josh Crotty before reliever Harry Lazarus ran into strife and the home side threatened to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with an ugly top of five — the last — that gleaned seven for a neversay-die Mounties outfit.
Out-hitting the Bears nine to six, Mounties had grand contributors in Smith (three hits and an RBI), Jamie Green- wood (two and three) and Scott Jones ( two and two), while Chris Barker (two and three), Cameron Brown (two and three), Lewis Weldon (one and two) and Jack Auld (one and two) delivered the offensive conversion for Bellarine.
Languishing on one win — despite several ultra-competitive outings — Mounties will be at home to Deakin next Saturday, while Bellarine meets Guild in what shapes as a ripper at the stadium.
While this top of the table clash was decided by unearned runs — all seven of them — it was a riveting clash between genuine contenders, with the Wildcats consolidating in top placing and the Lions slipping to third.
Aided by an error, an infield hit and a Justin Charles double, the Wildcats cruised away in the second before repaying the defensive favour with a crucial infield blunder that allowed the Lions to square the ledger in the third.
With Andy Radevski giving his side another solid start, Guild slipped up again in the fifth, when an early error, a hit and a walk allowed Lara to load the bases and plate the goahead on a Jarrod Fraim flyball for a break that was enough to secure the win.
Lara will be away to Saints next Saturday, while Guild plays host to Bellarine.