DROUGHT OVER
BELLARINE BEARS END 24-YEAR FLAG WAIT
BELLARINE snapped a 24year drought in Geelong Baseball Association A Grade competition with a stunning 15-7 win over East Belmont Saints in a spirited and at times fiery grand final played in pictureperfect conditions on Saturday.
Bursting to a substantial early lead, the Bears withstood a mid-game challenge from Saints before again scooting away – compliments in large part of a belligerent Bears offence led by Wayne Visser and Daniel Stott and steady pitching in the form of starter Lachlan Hockey and evergreen Simon Murry.
Capping a memorable day for the club, the Bears had earlier dispensed with Guild 6-2 to snare back-to-back A Reserve titles, while Sunshine went back-to-back in B Grade with a 13-11 extra-innings result over Colac, North West Titans nailed the B Reserve pennant 13-2 over Deakin, and Deakin edged out Ballarat Royals 10-9
in a C Grade thriller. BELLARINE 15 SAINTS 7
The tone of this contest was set early, when Bellarine starter Lachlan Hockey retired the first three hitters he saw and his side edged to an early lead with a bleeder dropping in behind first base and Wayne Visser driving a two-out double off the rightfield wall to score in the bottom of the first.
Held scoreless after loading the bases in the top of the second, Saints paid dearly for an offensive miscue in the equaliser, when six hits – including doubles by Cameron Brown and Lewis Weldon – gleaned an unearned five-spot that was to prove pivotal in the contest.
Although Luke Sherwell walked and ultimately scored on an error in the third, Bellarine replied to stretch the lead to seven runs after four – although Saints had other ideas than a tame capitulation as the game hotted up and both clubs looked to their bullpens.
Conceding a solitary hit over four, Hockey came under fire in the top of five, when a defensive error and two tattooed batters provided the catalyst for a two-out rally that produced five for the haloes – including a bases-clearing double by Connor Hughes.
While Visser knocked in a ninth run for Bellarine in the bottom of the frame – for a three-run break – the game remained up for grabs and both teams went scoreless through the sixth as the pressure was ramped up a notch or several.
Relieving Hockey after five innings of quality work for no earned runs, Simon Murry was his typically poised self, assisted big-time by a gamebreaking four spot by Bellarine in the bottom of seven – including another timely Weldon double.
When Murry smacked a two-RBI single in the bottom of eight it was effectively curtains for Saints, whose lower order manufactured a run without their side ever really threatening to make serious inroads against a massive lead held by the Bears – whose supporters were now beside themselves in anticipation of their club posting just a second A Grade premiership in the Geelong competition.
While both clubs conceded their share of unearned runs, that is often the nature of finals baseball as sides are placed under sustained pressure over a nine-innings contest — and it was Bellarine that proved the more capable of shaking off adversity and moving forward with real intent.
Between them conceding just one earned run, Hockey — deemed grand final MVP — and Murry were key factors in this game, both on the mound and as leaders with the bat in a blistering team total of 20 hits.
Visser (four hits and three RBIs), Daniel Stott (four hits), Hockey (three and three), Murry (one and three), Weldon (two and two), Kris Kiefel (two and one) and Patrick Brackley (two hits) did serious offensive damage for the Bears, while Tyler Huisman (three hits and an RBI), Hughes (two and three), Josh Lee (two and one) and Dion Kirchner (two hits) were the best of a brave Saints side that was always playing catch-up in this game.
In all it was a comprehensive and well-deserved premiership win for Bellarine – one that will be especially savoured after club disappointment of the past few years.
After a terrific home and away season, Saints came up just short when it mattered – though one expects this proud club will be already planning for atonement in 2020.