Pumped-up Rangers keen to turn spoilers

BASEBALL: Toowoomba Rangers won’t be this season’s GBL Division One champions but they are confident they have a few surprises in store for other want-to-be title contenders.

Rangers’ frustrating season run came to a shuddering halt last weekend when they broke their win-less year with two thumping wins over Western Districts in Brisbane.

Rangers completed a successful Bulldogs’ ambush to come away with 21-3 and 12-2 wins in their round 13 double-header.

Toowoomba had good reason to celebrate their turnaround in season fortunes.

But Rangers are keen to show they are not one-trick ponies as they chase more scalps before summer’s end.

Their next target is Ipswich Musketeers this weekend when Rangers are again on the road for a round-14 double-header tonight and tomorrow.

Rangers’ president Darryl Luchterhand said the beefed-up team, now sporting four front-line pitchers, is keen to make up for lost time early in the competition when it struggled to make a mark.

“We just want to finish the season on a good note now,” Luchterhand said.

“We still have plenty of incentive and hunger to do well.

“We can be competition spoilers now.

“There are a lot of teams in contention for play-off spots we are still to play and we can make life very uncomfortable for them. “That’s our aim.”

Last week’s duel success coincided with the arrival in Toowoomba this month of their latest American import player, Jeff Guerrero.

But Luchterhand said while the gun pitcher’s addition to the team added a vital missing piece to its make-up, last weekend’s breakthrough was brought about by a good all-round team display.

“The way we swung the bat was very impressive,” Luchterhand said.

“To score 33 runs in two games speaks for itself.

“But defensively we were strong as well. Sean Rodgers was awesome at short-stop.

“Ketch Marsh hit two home runs for us on Sunday and I think that now makes him equal leading home-run scorer in the league.

“If we swing against Musketeers like we did last week, I think we can take a game off them.

“Jeff is itching to get his first start for us on Sunday.

“Sam McNeice will start on the mound for us Saturday night and will be relieved by either Ben (Little) or Daniel (Luchterhand).

“Whoever doesn’t relieve will be held over until Sunday.”

❝ We still have plenty of incentive and hunger to do well. — Darryl Lutcherhand