Aces wrap it up in two

 

 

 

 

While the final margin appeared clear-cut, the Aces had to do it the hard way with the visitors holding a 4-3 lead into the eighth after Michael Collins had set them alight – again – with a three-run bomb in the fifth.

 

Outhitting South Australia thirteen to eight and stranding twelve runners on base – to seven – Victoria had a greater share of opportunities but were thwarted on a number of occasions by a South Australian outfit that refused to lie down.

 

 

 

It was no surprise – facing a “must-win” contest – that South Australia sent Ryan Murphy to the hill in the hope that he might replicate his Semi-Final heroics. While Murphy certainly did the job asked of him, he and a right-armed bullpen faced the daunting task of containing a potent Aces offence that kept the pressure on all game.

 

After Murphy retired the Aces hitters in order in the first, Jeremy Cresswell hit safely in the equaliser but was picked off by Adam Bright, who surprised some by taking the start for the home side.

 

Weichard walked and Harman single in the second to put runners at the corners but Murphy was good enough to get out of the innings as the game was already highlighted by some quality pitching and great defence by both clubs.

 

Standing in for Grant Karlsen, catcher Tristen McDonald – who became a key factor in the game - hit safely for the Aces in the third and Essendon teammate Brett Tamburrino advanced him with a single to rightfield. Russell was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out and Weichard drew a walk to score the first run of the game.

 

Gladstone doubled to rightfield in the bottom of three for South Australia and Jeremy Cresswell – who had a terrific finals campaign - singled to put runners at the corners, but Bright was up to the task of retiring the heart of the South Australia order.

 

Evergreen Ben Wigmore walked in the bottom of four and scored from second on Michael Smith’s double into leftfield to tie the game up at 1-1.

 

Tamburrino led off the fifth with a single and Russell singled to place runners at the corners with none out. Weichard hit a deep sacrifice fly to centre for the Aces to regain the lead, but it was a minimal return as both sides continued to strand runners on base.

 

In relief for Bright (four innings for one run), fireballer Shane Lindsay walked a couple before Michael Collins latched onto a breaking pitch to drive it over the rightfield wall for three runs – and a 4-2 lead for the visitors.

 

With both sides sensing the importance of the occasion, Biddle singled in the sixth and Dingle’s long ball to leftfield was unaccountably dropped after Wigmore had made good ground for the fly ball. It’s an unforgiving game, this baseball, and the South Australians paid the price as McDonald’s sacrifice fly plated the Aces’ third run.

 

With Richard Bartlett relieving Murphy in the top of seven, McDonald was again among the action. After walking in the eighth, McDonald scored for the equaliser as Washington misjudged a fly ball off the bat of Scott Wearne.

 

As the momentum in the game had clearly moved in their favour, Victoria pressed on in the top of nine as Ross Hipke - who took the win - had held sway brilliantly in relief of Lindsay.

 

Russell beat out an infield hit and Weichard repeated the dose but the Aces appeared to have missed another opportunity when Harman bunted straight back to the pitcher. But James Beresford drove the first pitch he saw into rightfield and Weichard scampered home with the go-ahead run, which spelled the end for Bartlett as hard-throwing Hayden Beard was called from the pen.

 

Centrefielder Biddle walked to load the bases for the Aces and Matthew Lawman – an outstanding contributor over the summer - doubled to score another two and the Aces were surely home.

 

Again called on the finish out the game, Russell Spear conceded a stand-up double to the irrepressible Murphy and a single to pinch-hitting Cakebread, but he had enough in the tank to get out of the innings with no damage done and a twenty-second Claxton Shield title in the bag for Victoria.

 

"It's a great feeling to win a Claxton," Aces manager Phil Dale told Baseball Radio National after the game.

 

"I had concerns when I saw that ball (the Collins home run) fly out of rightfield," Dale said, "but I knew we could come back."

 

"Our club has been a very mature bunch of players. They just want to compete day in day out and they've been fun to be around."

 

"Not just the guys who played out there today, but everyone who has helped us out during the summer," Dale said.

 

South Australia: J.Cresswell 2, J.Cakebread, M.Collins (home run), B.Wigmore, R.Murphy, M.Smith, S.Gladstone

Victoria: B.Tamburrino 3, A.Russell 2, S.Wearne, P.Weichard, B.Harman, J.Beresford, E.Biddle, H.Dingle, M.Lawman, T.McDonald

South Australia: M.Collins 3, M.Smith

Victoria: P.Weichard 2, M.Lawman 2, S.Wearne, J.Beresford, T.McDonald

South Australia:

R.Murphy 6 inn, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

R.Bartlett 2.1 inn, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

H.Beard 0.2 inn, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1BB, 1 SO  

Victoria:

A.Bright 4 inn, 1 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

S.Lindsay 2 inn, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

R.Hipke 2 inn, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

R.Spear 1.0 inn, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 SO