RIGHT ROYAL THRASHING
BUILDING its season as a dynamic new entity in Geelong Baseball Association, Ballarat Royals blasted six in the first against a shell-shocked Lara Wildcats which eventually launched a mercy rule call.
Guild Lions forfeited an early lead to Saints, who plated four in the fourth and another two in the seventh to provide telling run support for their rangy starter Cody Anderson — who headed an impressive win — while league-leading Bellarine was too strong for Deakin in a Sunday clash.
ROYALS 10 LARA 0
The Royals drew back to a 50-50 win-loss record with another important win in the context of their season — one that demonstrated a tight defensive capacity and degree of hitting depth borne from the addition of key players and a confident approach that has been building each week.
Missing key players but never looking to offer that as an excuse, the Wildcats were stunned in the bottom of the first, when the Royals clubbed their way through the order — including an in the park home run by Jedd Miller — to amass a game-breaking half a dozen off gutsy Lara starter Chris Lewis.
With Lewis settling into his work after the opening outburst, the Wildcats had a serious scoring opportunity in the third, when speedy youngster Jordan Baumann was hosed at the plate trying to stretch a lead-off triple — a play that typified some classy Royals defence and a certain lack of fortune by the visitors.
Spinning a terrific complete game for his new club, Jordan Isbister was accorded further run support with runs in the fourth and fifth, when Lara called upon Dan Anson to keep his side in the contest — although the Royals were not about to let this one slip, with Leigh Ashmore leaving the yard with a massive two-run blast over the leftfield wall to end the contest in seven.
Playing errorless defence behind Isbister, the Royals were well-served by Manager Matt Jones (three hits and two RBIs), Miller (two and three), Ashmore (two and two), Hayden Pfeiffer (two and two) and Mitch Collins (two and one), while Stuart Forbes (two hits), Jarrod Fraim and Baumann were the best of a Lara side that sits on three wins but has the capacity to trouble any club in the second half of the season.
The Royals will be at home to Deakin for what should be a ripper contest next Saturday, while the Wildcats play host to Guild in a game that both clubs will be desperate to win.
SAINTS 7 GUILD 2
Taking the start for Guild, teenager Travis Duxson was solid through three — with scores levelled at one apiece — before walks became a factor and Saints were able to exploit their opportunity with a fourrun fourth that included timely hitting by the likes of Dion Kirchner and Trevor Elliott.
Facing a serious deficit, the Lions hit back with a run in the bottom of five before the visitors chimed in with a two-run sixth for a lead that proved a bridge too far against Saints reliever Emerson Rickard, who spun two innings of scoreless work to close out the game.
Without stalwart Josh Lee for several weeks but still looking strong, Saints will be away team for a top-of-the-table clash against Bellarine next Saturday, while Guild will be looking to arrest its slide when it takes on Lara, an everdangerous proposition at the snakepit.
BELLARINE 6 DEAKIN 2
Bellarine confirmed its league-leading status with a hard-fought win over Deakin , which has slipped to fourth on the A Grade table.
Given a terrific start by GBA Carnival MVP Matt Sage, the Bears blasted four in the second and were never headed in this contest — tacking on two more in the fifth and playing solid defence behind their starter, who gave up a solitary earned run in his winning outing.
Bellarine will play host to Saints in a crucial top-two clash next Saturday, while Deakin will trek up the highway to take on an in-form Ballarat Royals club that has already inflicted a heavy loss on the Blues this season.