Hipps return a bonus as Rangers push hard

BASEBALL: Toowoomba Rangers will be hoping the return of former team ace Brian Hipps remains a positive influence as they look to shore up their GBL Division 3 competition standing.

Hipps has committed to playing out the remainder of this season after returning to his former club and his comeback has been welcomed by team-mates who have found themselves in a premiership dog-fight.

Rangers are coming off a bye weekend which followed their 19-0 whitewash of Carina White and are eager to maintain pre-Christmas momentum on the road tomorrow to Pine Hills.

It is the latest in a long series of away games as Rangers await their next home match which doesn’t come up until January 13 against Redcliffe.

Club president Darryl Luchterhand admits to underestimating the strength of the Division 3 league at the start of the season with Rangers now aware of the challenge ahead of them to win a finals’ berth.

But he has applauded the return of Hipps to the line-up, confident his experience and hitting prowess can lift the Toowoomba line-up.

“It’s great to have Hippsy back in the line-up and I think his hitting ability is already having a positive influence,” Luchterhand said.

“The whole team is swinging the bat well and it’s a real strength for us at the moment.

“I think I might have underestimated the league a bit. It’s very tight and competitive.

“We are at the point already where we need to win almost every game to make it into the finals.

“Hopefully we can get the job done on Sunday, but it’s a bit hard to get a proper read on Pine Hills.

“They’ve troubled the top teams and then lost to Beenleigh. Their pitching might be their weakness so we’ll need to try and capitalise on that.”