Star pitcher Egan guides Guild to 6-0 win
WITH pitching ace Brad Egan conceding a solitary hit in Geelong Baseball Association’s Round 13, Guild blanked Bellarine to shorten even further as favourite for another AGrade title, while second-placed Newport desperately held off Deakin Blues in a one-run thriller at the Ram Dome.
Recovering twice from a deficit, Ballarat-based club Mounties headed Colac when it mattered in an evenlymatched affair played in great spirit, while East Belmont downed Lara in a tight contest that owed plenty to the all-round effort of Saints tyro Emerson Rickard.
While the scoreline shows the Guild offence converting in three of the seven innings played — including two in the third, one in the fourth and a game-breaking three-spot in the fifth — the final outcome is an unfair reflection on the Bellarine pitching staff, who collectively conceded just a solitary earned run as defensive er- rors took their toll.
According to the adage, good pitching will always beat good hitting — and even if we factor out the defensive miscues — Bellarine was never in this contest thanks to a complete-game 75-pitch Egan gem that saw the big righty allow just two runners on base (a hit and a walk), both of whom were retired at second.
A dangerous offensive unit — especially on its own patch — Bellarine will be in no mood for niceties when it plays host to Colac next Saturday, while Guild will be at home to Newport for what should be another cracking game on Sunday.
Saints have moved closer to a potential post-season berth with a hardfought result over an evercompetitive Lara, which gained a break in the fourth behind starter Chris Lewis but bled a string of runs through the later innings and was unable to bridge the gap when it mattered most.
After the Wildcats edged ahead against starter Emerson Rickard — who had been solid over four for two earned runs — Saints called upon fellow lefty Josh Lee to hold the line while his offence pegged back the deficit and snatched the lead on a two-RBI Rickard single in the seventh.
A sacrifice flyball by Trevor Elliot stretched the break in the top of the last for an advantage that proved decisive despite Lara pinch-hitter Travis Arandt offering some late hope with an RBI-single.
With Saints breathing down the neck of fourth-placed Deakin, there will be much riding on their clash at Pioneer Park next Saturday, while Lara will be at home to Mounties for what should be another interesting stoush between proud lower-placed clubs.
The Braves were off to a flyer, with a triple by lead-off Michael Reid setting the base for a two-run first, although Mounties responded through the agency of Leigh Ashmore — whose two-out triple plated two for the home club.
Neither side was able to gain a break, with a Colac run in the top of five again drawing a swift response.
It was only in the bottom of six that the Mounties collared Braves reliever Reid, forging to a three-run break.
Tossing a complete game, Scott Jones carded the win for Mounties despite conceding a dozen hits that were dominated by Brendan Delorenzo (three, and an RBI), Reid, Josh Hay and Alex Lewis (all with two knocks), while Ashmore (two and two) was a standout for a home club that made the most of its opportunities in a tight and entertaining contest.
Seemingly reserving its better performances for games against the top sides, fourth-placed Deakin came within a whisker of downing the highly-touted Rams, who drew upon their offensive depth to win.
Deakin will meet Saints next Saturday in what should be an arm wrestle for two clubs vying for fourth placing, while second-placed Newport faces the acid test when it confronts league-leading Guild at the stadium on Sunday.