RANGERS DIVE INTO TOP FORM
Toowoomba bounces back to hand Wests its first defeat
BASEBALL: The Toowoomba Rangers have started the new year in the best possible fashion.
Coming up against the top of the table Wests Bulldogs at Commonwealth Oval, the Rangers turned in one of their best performances of the season, coming away 5-0 winners and moving to within a game of first position.
Led from the front by pitcher Sam McNeice and player-coach Luke Ardill, Toowoomba was able to garner revenge for a 10-4 loss back in round two.
Player Darryl Luchterhand paid tribute to the efforts of their star pitcher, who kept the explosive Wests batting attack scoreless. “Sam was just outstanding on the mound. The game went nine innings and he threw the entire nine,” Luchterhand said.
“To not give up a run is outstanding. We got out of a couple of jams but they only had five base runners for the entire game.
“He was a totally different pitcher than what we’ve seen all season. We’ve seen glimpses of it, but he was really fired up. Some people say the Wests pitcher is the best in the league, so he had a bit of a point to prove and turned a few eyebrows.”
Rangers got out to an early 1-0 lead in the first innings, before singles in the third and fifth and a double in the seventh inning put the result beyond doubt.
“It was probably our best overall game of the season,” he said.
“Something we really spoke about at training was our mental attitude. It wasn’t where we needed it to be in the game before the Christmas break.
“Ardy made a few changes in the line-up and it seems to have paid dividends.
“We wanted to come out hard and fast at them. They hadn’t dropped a game coming into the contest and haven’t really been put under too much pressure.
“Once the pressure was on them, we were able to put them in the back seat.”
Luchterhand said Ardill was able to lead by example
in one of his finest displays in recent times.
“The top four really led the way for us,” he said.
“Ardy had a day out. He has two doubles, a triple and quite a few RBIs. Sean Rodgers and Mick Locke also did the damage for us.
“In saying that everybody did their job, and the bottom five were great defensively as well. Our intensity went up.”
While they keep the race for the minor premiership alive, for and against plays into the hands of Wests, meaning the Rangers will need to finish a game clear to secure a home semi-final.
They next face off with the Pine Hills Lightning at Commonwealth Oval on Sunday.
The division five Rangers picked up a crucial 9-5 victory over Wests to keep their hopes of a top-four berth alive.