Elario key as Bothasig try to topple Bellville

DEFENDING Major League baseball champions Bothasig, second on the log, travel today to former champions and current log-leaders Bellville intent on closing the 10-point gap between them.

Bothasig’s ace pitcher Jared Elario, back from an eight- month injury layoff, pitched three and four innings over the last two weekends, and will bolster the youthful Bothasig bullpen who need to lift themselves to tame the powerful Bellville batting line-up.

Bellville have a long and strong batting line- up in which the Phillips brothers, Anthony and Jonathan, Kyle Ettisch and Carl Cordier are key contributors.

Callan Pearce and Bertus Mostert will do duty for Bellville on the pitching mound, and both have been in top form and have restricted most of their opponents.

In-form Dayle Feldtman, together with Kyle Botha and Benji Smith will need to come good with the bat for the Bothasig side.

Bellville have won the last two encounters between the sides 13-3 and 8-5.

Westridge Yankees travel to Maitland Giants hoping to put a stop to their losing streak in they have lost six of their last seven games.

One wonders how things have gone wrong so quickly after Yankees had won eight of their first 10 games.

Giants on the other hand are smiling as they achieved their first goal for their maiden season in the top league by avoiding relegation. Their next task is to crack into the top four playoff spots and develop their local players extensively.

Giants would be wary of Yankees, who have thrashed them twice this season – 22-3 and 14-0.

Giants are spoilt for choice over their starting pitcher, either Canadian Jas Shergill or US import Matt Soren, who between them can only pitch a maximum of five innings on the day.

Brad Erasmus has come into his own in the short relief spot, and has set up things nicely for Jayde Thorne to close out their games.