Wildcats claw back to victory
IN bitterly cold and breezy conditions that made it difficult for pitching and defence, Round 15 produced a thriller at Lara where the Wildcats edged home by a run over Guild, while East Belmont kept its A-grade post-season prospects alive with a solid win over Deakin and Bellarine scored heavily in a powerful display over Mounties.
SAINTS 9 DEAKIN 2
An important fixture for both clubs, this game remained tight through five as Josh Lee (Saints) and Chris Webb (Deakin) spun quality starts.
While Saints held the early break, the Blues plated an unearned run in the fourth and drew level in the top of six, though the excitement was shortlived as Saints cashed in on four walks that conspired with four hits and a defensive error to generate a seven-run inning for a lead that was comfortably protected by closer Tayler Rowe.
Conceding a solitary hit for no earned runs, Lee completed a terrific game with three hits and three RBIs to be among his side’s offensive best, along with Luke Sherwell (two and one) and Chris Rickard (two and one), while a subdued Deakin line-up shared its six knocks among the same number of players.
Still fifth but just a win adrift of Deakin in fourth, Saints can make the playoffs, although their draw is tough — starting with the Wildcats at Lara next Saturday — while the Blues will be taking nothing for granted when they make the trek to Ballarat to meet a Mounties outfit that has been dominant at their last two meetings.
LARA 6 GUILD 5
It’s last-gasp win has assured Lara of top placing on the A-grade table, while Guild is still not assured of second placing in dropping this game after drawing level in the top of the last.
Again playing a flawless defensive game, Lara was out of the blocks quickly, with four in the first and another in the second against Guild starter Brad Egan, who racked up nine strikeouts while still being lumbered with the earned runs.
After Guild hit back in the third with a three-run Jordan Lekkas homer, both sides remained scoreless through the middle innings until the Lions tagged Lara reliever Dan Anson for two late runs.
Lara, again shown the way by its older hands, was up to the task of manufacturing a late run for the narrowest of victories, one that included timely hitting by the likes of Justin Charles (two hits and an RBI) and Ben Hammer (one and two), while Lekkas was the standout for Guild in offence.
With top placing nailed down, Lara is likely to be in no mood for divine generosity when it plays host to Saints next Saturday, while Guild — away to Bellarine — still has some work to do for the double chance.
BELLARINE 18 MOUNTIES 2
A solo homer by Bears manager Cameron Brown in the first set the tone for this contest, which was effectively over when the visitors blasted seven in the second in favourable hitting conditions, which is to take nothing away from the Bellarine offence as it racked up 22 hits.
Sticking with starter Scott Jones, the Mounts forced a lull in scoring through the middle innings before the Bears launched a late assault that gleaned another 10, aided by some errant Mounties defence that all up produced 11 unearned runs.
Although not joining the hit parade, Bellarine hurler Simon Murry was effective in keeping the Mounties hitters off balance in a complete game outing for five hits, six strikeouts and a solitary earned run credited to Jedd Miller, one of just five players to post a hit for the home club.
Amassing hits throughout a lineup that is ever dangerous, Bellarine had standouts in Wayne Visser (four hits and three RBIs), Brown (three and two, including the home run), Lewis Weldon (three and three), Jake Auld (three and two) and Lachlan Medew (three and two).
Solid in third but with an outside chance of nailing a double chance, Bellarine will host Guild in a decisive contest next Saturday, while Mounties will be confident of a reversal at home to Deakin.